Uganda and Tanzania have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the Tanga Regional Energy Hub. Following the EACOP pipeline, the project includes infrastructure for refining, storage, logistics and distribution of petroleum products, as well as several energy transport projects between the two countries.
Ugandan Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Tanzanian Samia Suluhu Hassan supervised the signing in Dar es Salaam of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and Vitol Bahrain E.C. for the development of the Tanga Regional Energy Pole.
According to the authorities of the two countries, this platform will build on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) pipeline and will combine petroleum storage, refining, logistics, trading and distribution activities. Tanzania's Energy Minister Deo Ndejembi said the investments associated with the project could exceed $20 billion.
The two governments also reported on the status of other energy infrastructure planned between the two countries. Feasibility and engineering studies of the future pipeline for the transport of refined petroleum products and the storage terminal are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Studies on the Uganda-Tanzania pipeline are expected by October 2026. The Ugandan authorities have indicated that these projects are complementary to the Hoima refinery, with a projected capacity of 60,000 barrels per day.
Energy cooperation also covers the electricity sector. In June 2026, Uganda announced that it had secured $250 million from the World Bank for the construction of its 400 kV electrical interconnection section with Tanzania. This infrastructure must increase electricity exchange between the two countries and strengthen the Eastern Africa Power Pool network.
The energy pole of Tanga is part of the extension of the EACOP, an oil pipeline of 1,443 kilometres intended to carry up to 230,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the oil fields of Tilenga and Kingfisher, in western Uganda, to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.
According to the project partners, the future hub will combine oil infrastructure with logistical and industrial facilities to support energy exchanges between East and Central Africa.
