Uganda Names Its Oil “Pearl Sweet” as First Production Draws Closer

Uganda has officially named its crude-oil grade “Pearl Sweet” as the country prepares to begin commercial production before the end of 2026.

The name is intended to connect Uganda’s oil industry with its identity as the Pearl of Africa. Officials describe the crude as a low-sulphur product that could attract international buyers.

Uganda has approximately 1.65 billion barrels of recoverable reserves and expects peak production of around 230,000 barrels per day.

The crude will be transported through the $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline, a 1,443-kilometer heated pipeline running from Uganda’s oilfields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga.

TotalEnergies holds the largest stake in the production projects, alongside China’s CNOOC and the Uganda National Oil Company.

Oil production could transform government revenue and infrastructure investment. It will also increase scrutiny of debt, environmental protection, land compensation, and the transparent use of petroleum income.