PAU Marks 10 Years of Regulating Uganda’s Oil and Gas Sector, Highlights Milestones and Next Phase of Growth
The Petroleum Authority of Uganda PAU has marked a decade of regulating the country’s oil and gas sector, celebrating ten years of institutional growth, strengthened governance and major progress toward First Oil, The milestone was commemorated during a press conference led by Executive Director Ernest N T Rubondo, who described the Authority’s journey as one built on transparency, professionalism and sustainable development
Rubondo noted that PAU has evolved from a startup institution with one staff member in 2016 to a fully fledged regulator with 220 professionals, guided by three Boards of Directors and three strategic plans aligned to Uganda’s National Development Plans,
He emphasized that the Authority’s achievements are the result of strong collaboration between its Board, Management, staff and stakeholders over the past decade
A Decade of Regulatory Achievement
Over the last ten years, PAU has ensured that the development of Uganda’s oil and gas sector adheres to national laws and international best practices, Its oversight spans resource management, cost control, data management, environmental protection and national content
Resource Growth and Project Progress
Uganda’s petroleum resource estimates have grown to 6 65 billion barrels of oil in place, with recoverable reserves rising from 1 4 billion to 1 65 billion barrels, Rubondo attributed this growth to improved geological understanding through advanced data analysis
He also reported significant progress on flagship projects including Tilenga, Kingfisher and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline EACOP, which together represent more than USD 15 billion in investment, Construction is at peak stage, with First Oil expected in the second half of 2026
Kingfisher stands at 74 percent completion with all 19 wells for First Oil drilled. Tilenga is 60 percent complete with 164 of 170 wells for First Oil drilled. EACOP is 75 percent complete with nearly 1,000 km of pipeline welded, 200 km tested and buried
Rubondo further confirmed that the Uganda Refinery is progressing steadily following the signing of the Implementation Agreement in March 2025
Data and Technological Advancement
PAU has established a modern National Petroleum Data Repository, including a state of the art data centre at Petroleum House hosting over 60 terabytes of petroleum data, A Real Time Monitoring Centre is under development to enhance oversight of drilling, production and pipeline operations
Cost Management and Economic Value
By June 2025, USD 11 11 billion had been invested in Uganda’s oil and gas sector, with more than USD 4 billion expected in the next two years, PAU continues to safeguard national interests through rigorous cost audits, technical evaluations and detailed review of work programs, Economic modelling shows the sector remains robust even at USD 30 per barrel, sustaining investor confidence
Environmental Stewardship and Community Transformation
Rubondo highlighted Uganda as a global benchmark for balancing petroleum development with environmental protection, The country’s projects remain among the least carbon intensive worldwide and are on track to deliver a net biodiversity gain
More than 475 modern homes have been built for Project Affected Persons, and nearly 20,000 households across 11 districts have benefited from livelihood programs, improved social services and better infrastructure
National Content and Local Participation
Local participation remains one of PAU’s strongest achievements Over USD 2 2 billion in contracts have been awarded to Ugandan companies. Close to 20,000 Ugandans are directly employed in the sector, with 180,000 employed indirectly
Ugandans make up 64 percent of management roles, 85 percent of technical roles and 99 percent of support positions
The National Supplier Database now hosts 2,837 companies from 48 countries Over 14,000 Ugandans have been trained and internationally certified in petroleum related vocations
Rubondo invited stakeholders to the 6th Annual National Content Conference scheduled for December 3 to 4 2025
Strengthening Sectoral Linkages
PAU has partnered with Government ministries and private sector actors to create strong linkages between oil and gas and other sectors including transport, health, housing, agriculture, education and tourism, Studies indicate that maximizing these linkages could generate up to USD 8 billion in GDP growth before First Oil
Future Outlook
PAU will expand its regulatory focus to include oil production, new exploration, crude transportation via EACOP, refining and downstream operations under the newly approved National Petroleum Policy, Rubondo emphasized that these new responsibilities require advanced digital systems including a fully functional data repository and AI powered monitoring tools
As Uganda enters the next chapter of its petroleum journey, he reaffirmed PAU’s commitment to effective regulation, transparency and ensuring that the oil and gas sector continues to create lasting value for all citizens
