Oil & Gas

As Uganda moves closer to delivering its first oil by 2026, the country has entered into a formal regional partnership with Tanzania and Zanzibar to strengthen East Africa’s oil and gas sector. The tripartite agreement aims to enhance technical collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic alignment between the countries' regulatory bodies.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Entebbe by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), and the Zanzibar Petroleum (Upstream) Regulatory Authority (ZPRA). PAU Board Chairperson Lynda Biribonwa stated that the partnership will focus on key priority areas, including health, safety and environment, cost management, national content promotion, and capacity building.

Mr. Halfani Halfani, Chairperson of PURA, emphasized that institutional cooperation is critical for efficient resource management, particularly during this development phase. “Collaboration between our three institutions is essential. Formalizing this relationship will help ensure long-term sustainability,” he noted. He also highlighted that harmonized strategies will make the region more attractive to investors, supporting both current and future projects.

ZPRA Managing Director Mohammed S. Said described the agreement as a chance to streamline operations and learn from each other’s successes and challenges. “You may think you’re doing well, but looking outside helps,” he remarked. With this formal cooperation, East Africa is positioning itself as a strategic player in the global oil and gas industry, boosting regional integration and sectoral resilience.