Uganda’s journey towards first oil is being presented as a practical expression of Pan-Africanism, with the country seeking to ensure that Africans participate across the entire petroleum value chain rather than simply export crude oil.

Speaking at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum, Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) Chief Operating Officer Samantha Muhwezi Kasami said Uganda deliberately prioritised local participation, institutional development and value addition as it prepared to produce its first oil.

She said Uganda and Tanzania are jointly implementing the 1,443-kilometre East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), while more than US$12 billion has been invested in Uganda’s oil sector, generating more than 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“Africa cannot industrialize by exporting raw materials alone, we must own the entire value chain,” Muhwezi said.

She added that Uganda had insisted on meaningful national participation in the development of its petroleum resources.

“We would not accept our oil to be developed without our participation,” she said.

According to Muhwezi, Uganda’s approach has already resulted in more than US$2.2 billion in contracts awarded to Ugandan companies, while over 140,000 Ugandans have been trained to participate in different segments of the oil and gas value chain.

She said the country’s experience demonstrates the importance of building strong institutions, putting in place appropriate legal frameworks and investing in human capital before large-scale production begins.

The remarks place Uganda’s oil development within a broader Pan-African debate on resource ownership, industrialisation, regional integration and value addition, as African countries seek to move beyond the export of unprocessed commodities and retain a greater share of the economic benefits from their natural resources.