The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Industry Enhancement Centre (IEC) aimed at strengthening national content initiatives and building the capacity of Ugandan small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate more effectively in the oil and gas sector.
The agreement was signed in Kampala, with EACOP Deputy Managing Director John Bosco Habumugisha describing the partnership as a key step toward deepening local participation and ensuring Ugandan businesses benefit meaningfully from the country’s oil and gas developments.
The Industry Enhancement Centre was established in 2024 by TotalEnergies EP Uganda, in partnership with China National Offshore Oil Corporation Uganda Limited (CNOOC) and the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), following recommendations from the 2013 Industrial Baseline Survey. The survey identified gaps in local capacity and called for targeted interventions to enable Ugandan firms to compete within the sector.
IEC’s mandate includes supporting local enterprises to diversify their services, strengthen their workforce, and achieve sustainable growth through training, advisory services, and consultancy support in areas such as business operations and access to finance.
Under the new MoU, EACOP and IEC will collaborate to ensure timely dissemination of procurement and business opportunities arising from EACOP and its contractors to local companies registered with the IEC. The partnership also covers joint implementation of IEC-led training programmes, stakeholder engagements, outreach activities, and capacity-building initiatives in Kampala and other districts.
In addition, EACOP will leverage its network of contractors, subcontractors, and stakeholders to support IEC programmes and expand access to opportunities for Ugandan enterprises across the oil and gas value chain.
The agreement builds on EACOP’s existing local content strategy. The company and its contractors have already signed MoUs with several professional and industrial training institutions, including the Institute of Surveyors of Uganda and the Uganda Industrial Research Institute, as well as tertiary institutions such as the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba, Makerere University, and Kyambogo University.
“These partnerships demonstrate our continued commitment to empowering Ugandan businesses and maximising value retention within the country,” Habumugisha said. “By working closely with the Industry Enhancement Centre, we aim to create sustainable opportunities for SMEs to grow, compete, and contribute meaningfully to both the oil and gas sector and the wider economy.”
Jimmy Mugerwa, Managing Director of Zoramu Consulting Group, which supports IEC activities, said the collaboration would give Ugandan enterprises access to the training, guidance, and networks required to succeed in a highly competitive industry.
The MoU underscores a broader push by stakeholders in Uganda’s oil and gas sector to prioritise sustainable development, strengthen local capacity, and ensure long-term benefits for domestic businesses as major energy projects advance.
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