The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) today announced the appointment of Vitol to market the Government of Uganda and UNOC’s allocation of Pearl Sweet and confirmed that Uganda’s newly named crude will be available for export from early 2027.
The twin announcement marks a major commercial milestone in Uganda’s entry into the global oil market. Vitol will bring its international trading, marketing and logistics capabilities to the sale of Pearl Sweet as Uganda completes the infrastructure needed to move crude from the Albertine region to international buyers.
H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officially named Pearl Sweet on 2 September 2026. It is a medium-to-heavy sweet crude with a high conversion yield profile and will be produced from the Tilenga and Kingfisher Development Areas, which are expected to reach combined production of up to 230,000 barrels per day. Export crude will be transported through the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania, where the pipeline and associated export terminal are nearing completion.
Dr Monica Musenero, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said: “Vitol’s appointment is another sign that Uganda is moving from development to delivery. As we complete the production and export infrastructure, we are now putting in place the commercial capability to take Pearl Sweet to the world. Vitol’s global reach, trading expertise and logistics strength will help us place this crude with the right refiners and maximise value for Uganda when exports begin in early 2027.”
On 6 August 2026, UNOC, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and Vitol signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a regional energy hub at the Port of Tanga. The port is strategically positioned to serve Asian and Middle Eastern markets while creating an additional logistics corridor for landlocked Uganda and neighbouring countries.
The marketing appointment also deepens the wider relationship between UNOC and Vitol. Vitol has been working with UNOC in support of Uganda’s petroleum products supply programme, and the two companies have signed a US$2 billion facility to support the development of energy infrastructure.
Kieran Gallagher, Head of Vitol Asia, said: “It is an honour to partner with Uganda to bring its new crude oil, Pearl Sweet, to market. Pearl Sweet is well suited to many Asian refineries, and we anticipate a great deal of interest. Vitol is delighted to deploy its expertise and logistical capabilities as Uganda expands its energy sector.”
