Tanzania’s Rural Energy Agency and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Company Limited have signed a five-year cooperation agreement to expand electricity access to communities located along the pipeline corridor within Tanzanian territory. The agreement was formalised in Dar es Salaam by REA Director General Hassan Saidy and EACOP Managing Director Guillaume Dulout.
The initiative seeks to support infrastructure development and improve access to electricity across 231 villages situated in 27 district councils within eight Tanzanian regions. The corridor in question aligns with the route of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, a 1,443 kilometre infrastructure project designed to transport Uganda’s crude oil from Kabaale in Hoima District to the Chongoleani peninsula near Tanga, where it will be exported to international markets.
According to REA, the agreement aims to facilitate reliable electricity for public institutions such as schools, health facilities and water projects, as well as promote opportunities for small-scale enterprises and local economic development. The Rural Energy Agency emphasised the potential benefits of electrification for improving basic service delivery in communities situated near the pipeline infrastructure.
EACOP representatives indicated that the cooperation reflects the company’s broader intention to contribute to socio-economic development along the pipeline route. However, specific implementation details, including timelines for connection and funding allocations, have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The pipeline project, a joint venture involving the Uganda National Oil Company, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation, has drawn attention both regionally and internationally. While it has been positioned by supporters as a means to promote regional integration and economic growth, the project has also faced environmental and social concerns related to land acquisition, biodiversity risks and long-term climate implications.
The agreement to electrify communities along the route may be viewed as part of a broader effort to address some of these concerns by ensuring that the infrastructure project contributes to local development outcomes. Nonetheless, the long-term impact of the electrification programme will depend on how effectively it is implemented, monitored and aligned with the needs of affected communities.
This development sits within the wider context of energy access challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, where efforts to expand electricity coverage often intersect with large-scale resource projects. The role of such projects in contributing to local development remains a subject of active policy and public debate across the continent.
