EACOP signs MoU with Makerere University to build local capacity in oil and gas sector

Makerere University students are set to benefit from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between officials of the university and The East African Crude Oil Pipeline, on behalf of its contractors and suppliers to provide a framework that will guide collaboration between the two entities towards the realisation of the National Content Capacity Building initiatives in the oil and gas industry, and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)  initiatives and projects.  

EACOP is a project company set up to develop,  build and operate a pipeline system which will transport crude oil from Kabalega Industrial Park in Hoima District in Uganda  to the port of Tanga in Tanzania. 

Given the nature of the project, there are multiple national and international contractors & suppliers participating in the construction of the pipeline and together with a number of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). As part of EACOP’s overall National Content program, all EACOP’s tier one contractors and  suppliers have made commitments depending on the nature of their contracts. 

These commitments include working with EACOP to support knowledge and build  capacity among recent Ugandan graduates, technicians and instructors, professors, and  lecturers from tertiary and vocational training institutions. 

These commitments will be realised through the implementation of two key Capacity Building initiatives such as Internship/ Graduate Training programs where trainees will be graduates or existing students from the institution and will be offered training and work exposure with EACOP’s suppliers and contractors on various scopes of the project according to their disciplines. 

In his remarks, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended the initiative which he said will benefit several students from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) and the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) where programs related to the oil and gas industry are offered. He noted that oil and gas was still a young industry in Uganda and therefore the collaboration was timely.

The duration and location of the internships varies between the different contractors/suppliers. 

The second initiative will involve Train the Trainer programs where training sessions will be delivered by EACOP’s contractors and suppliers and will seek to share knowledge on their different scopes of work on the project as they relate to various engineering disciplines and  vocational skills.  

To date, EACOP has also signed MoUs with Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba, as well as with professional bodies  such as the Institute of Surveyors of Uganda to support the onboarding of graduate  trainees with our contractors/suppliers and of interns with EACOP’s internal departments.