African Energy Chamber defends EACOP against UK legal challenge

The African Energy Chamber described the case as another example of overseas litigation targeting major African energy projects at a critical stage of development.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has strongly criticised a legal challenge filed in the UK High Court against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), arguing that decisions about Uganda's energy future should be made by Ugandan institutions rather than foreign courts.

The case was brought by four Ugandan farmers against EACOP Ltd., the UK-registered operating company behind the 1,445-kilometre pipeline linking Uganda's oil fields to Tanzania's coast. The claim seeks to apply Ugandan constitutional, environmental and climate laws through the English legal system and asks the court to prevent the pipeline from becoming operational.

The legal action comes as the pipeline moves closer to transporting Uganda's first crude oil exports, following several years of planning, financing and construction.

Chamber warns lawsuits could delay African energy development

The African Energy Chamber described the case as another example of overseas litigation targeting major African energy projects at a critical stage of development. AEC Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk argued that Uganda should retain the sovereign right to determine how its natural resources are developed, saying decisions on the country's energy sector should be made by Ugandans under their own legal framework.

The Chamber said similar legal challenges have affected other energy projects across the continent, including developments in Mozambique and South Africa, creating uncertainty for investors and delaying infrastructure projects.

According to the organisation, prolonged legal disputes can slow economic growth by postponing investment decisions, delaying employment opportunities and reducing government revenues that could be used to finance public services and infrastructure.

Pipeline seen as key to Uganda's oil ambitions

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is designed to transport crude oil from Uganda's oil fields to Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast, providing an export route for Uganda's estimated 6.5 billion barrels of oil resources. The project is being developed by TotalEnergies, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the Uganda National Oil Company and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.

The African Energy Chamber said the pipeline is expected to generate employment, strengthen local content, expand infrastructure and create new business opportunities across Uganda and Tanzania while supporting long-term industrial development.

Environmental organisations and activists opposing the project have argued that land acquisition has affected more than 100,000 people and have raised concerns about potential impacts on freshwater resources and environmentally sensitive areas. TotalEnergies has previously stated that the project includes environmental and social safeguards, biodiversity protection measures and internationally recognised standards intended to minimise environmental impacts while delivering long-term benefits to host communities.

The Chamber also expressed concern that allowing foreign courts to decide disputes involving African infrastructure projects could establish a wider precedent affecting future investments across the continent. It maintained that African countries should retain the authority to resolve such matters through their own constitutional and judicial systems while determining their own development priorities.