Tanzania’s Minister of Energy, Deogratius Ndejembi, announced on Monday, June 29, 2026, that construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has reached 86 percent, with the first oil shipment projected for January 2027.
Ndejembi made the announcement during a visit to the construction site at Chongoleani in Tanga, where he directed Tanzania’s electricity utility to ensure power lines are extended to the area after the issue was identified as one of the project’s challenges.
“Some of the minor challenges we encountered include the fact that the electricity lines have not yet reached the area. I have instructed the contractor, through our TANESCO utility, to ensure that by the final date of the contract, the work has been completed,” Minister Ndejembi said.
In its April 2026 report, EACOP stated that since welding began in September 2024, 1,492 km of pipeline has been welded, 1,264 km has been coated with liquid epoxy, 916 km has been lowered into the ground, and 637 km of high-voltage (HV) cables has been installed. The report also noted that hydrotesting activities had commenced.
EACOP is a 1,443-kilometre pipeline that will transport crude oil from Hoima in Uganda to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania. The total cost of the project is consistently estimated at approximately US$5.6 billion; it’s jointly owned by TotalEnergies, which has a 62 per cent stake in the project; China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), which holds 8 percent of the stake; and Tanzania and Uganda, which hold 15 percent of the stake each.
