Uganda’s oil and gas sector is making major strides in local workforce development, with over 14,000 Ugandans now trained in technical oilfield skills—significantly reducing the country’s reliance on expatriate labor.
This was revealed by James Okwi, Capacity Development Officer at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), during the graduation of 30 newly certified lifting equipment operators in Hoima City. The trainees completed a one-month course sponsored by CNOOC Uganda Ltd, one of the country’s major oil project investors.
“Today, Uganda has more than 16,200 people directly employed in the oil and gas sector—surpassing our national target of 13,000 set in 2013,” Okwi said. “This achievement shows that we no longer need to import foreign labor for most technical operations. Our people are ready.”
The training, conducted by Zetta Energy Ltd in partnership with the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, focused on lifting operations involving cranes, forklifts, and hoists. The beneficiaries, drawn from Hoima, Kikuube, Masindi, and Buliisa districts, are among thousands in the Bunyoro region being prepared for upcoming oil and gas opportunities.
According to PAU, the skills initiative is funded under a $21.5 billion investment package committed by TotalEnergies EP Uganda, CNOOC, UNOC, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to enhance community participation in the oil value chain.
“We were once struggling with a lack of qualified heavy equipment operators, welders, and electricians,” Okwi noted. “Now we have trained over 1,685 heavy truck operators, 1,734 welders, and 279 electricians—all from local communities.”
Bunyoro region, which hosts much of Uganda’s oil infrastructure, accounts for over 5,100 jobs in the sector. PAU has challenged oil companies to continue prioritizing host communities in recruitment, noting that these areas bear the direct impact of resource extraction.
Eric Daniel Jumba, National Content Manager at CNOOC Uganda Ltd, said the 30 graduates were selected from a pool of over 500 applicants. “This is part of our commitment to strengthening local content and preparing communities to benefit from the oil economy,” he said.
Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom CEO Alex Katusabe hailed the effort, but called for further inclusion. “We thank CNOOC for skilling our people, but we urge companies to ensure locals are first in line when production starts,” he said.
One of the graduates, Jumah Seninde Lubega, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “This training has opened the door for us to compete for jobs in the oil and gas sector,” he said.
As Uganda moves closer to first oil production, community-based capacity-building efforts are proving critical in ensuring that ordinary citizens—not just multinational firms—share in the sector’s economic promise.
