Four senior officials at the forefront of Uganda’s oil and gas sector were recognised with Presidential Recognition Awards during this year’s Labour Day celebrations, in honour of their contribution to advancing the country’s oil and gas ambitions.
Mr. Ali Ssekatawa, Director Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), led the list of awardees.
He was recognised for his central role on the government’s technical team that negotiated and concluded the commercial and legal frameworks underpinning Uganda’s major oil projects.
These efforts culminated in the landmark Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2022, which unlocked investments of over USD 15 billion, as well as progress towards the first tranche of financial closure for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in 2025.
Ssekatawa has also played a visible role in countering both local and international criticism of Uganda’s oil developments, helping sustain investor confidence and momentum in the sector.
Also honoured were Mr. Geoffrey Ogwang, Director Midstream at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development; Mr. John Bosco Habumugisha, General Manager Uganda at EACOP Ltd; and Mr. Gilbert Kamuntu, Chief Commercial Officer at the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).
Mr. Habumugisha, who also serves as Deputy Managing Director at EACOP, works closely with the Managing Director in engaging stakeholders across the Uganda and Tanzania jurisdictions to ensure effective delivery of the pipeline project.
In his capacity as General Manager Uganda, he oversees non-project activities within the country, including supervision of the Uganda Land and Social Manager, Operational Health, Safety and Security (HSE), and Contracts and Procurement functions.
Mr. Kamuntu’s expertise spans economic modelling, business analysis, and commercial negotiations.
His work cuts across the petroleum value chain, including upstream production, refining, crude oil pipelines, and oil terminal operations. His experience has been critical in structuring Uganda’s commercial oil agenda.
Together with Mr. Ogwang, the officials formed part of a core government technical team that delivered the legal and commercial architecture supporting Uganda’s oil and gas sector, as well as advancing financing efforts for EACOP.
The awards recognise what officials described as “distinguished service above self,” underscoring the strategic importance of technical leadership in delivering large-scale national projects.
Uganda continues to make progress towards first oil expected in the second half of 2026, with key infrastructure developments ongoing in the Albertine Graben and along the EACOP corridor.
