KAMPALA — Uganda has named its crude oil blend “Pearl Sweet,” giving oil produced from the country’s fields a distinct identity as the country prepares to enter the global petroleum market.

The name, unveiled on Wednesday, is intended to tell the story of the origin, qualities and composition of Uganda’s crude as the country moves closer to commercial oil production and exports.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officiated the launch.

“Pearl Sweet” will become the identifying name for Uganda’s crude blend as it makes its way into international markets, allowing buyers, traders and other players in the petroleum industry to distinguish the country’s oil from other crude grades.

The unveiling marks another milestone in Uganda’s long journey toward becoming an oil-producing and exporting country.

Uganda’s commercially viable oil resources are located in the Albertine Graben in western Uganda, with production centred on the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects.

The country is also developing the infrastructure required to move its crude to international markets, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which will transport Uganda’s oil from Hoima to the Tanzanian port of Tanga for export.

The branding of the crude comes as Uganda seeks to position its petroleum resources within the international energy market and use oil revenues to support economic transformation, industrialisation and infrastructure development.

The name “Pearl Sweet” also draws on Uganda’s long-standing identity as the “Pearl of Africa,” while the “Sweet” designation reflects the characteristics of the crude.

With the name now established, Uganda’s crude will enter the global market with an identity linking the commodity to its country of origin and its specific characteristics.

For Uganda, “Pearl Sweet” represents more than a name for a petroleum product. It is the commercial identity of a resource that the country expects to become an important contributor to its economic transformation.