𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮’𝘀 𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Uganda’s oil and gas industry is increasingly emerging as a powerful catalyst for national economic transformation, driving job creation, skills development, innovation, and investment across various sectors of the economy.
Representing the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, the Under Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Grace Tusiime, highlighted the sector’s growing impact while opening the 3rd Annual Oil and Gas Skills Expo at Makerere University.
Speaking under the theme, “From Oil and Gas to the Wider Economy: Transferable Skills Driving Sustainable Growth,” the Expo gathered government agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, development partners, students, and young professionals to explore workforce preparedness and sustainable skills development within Uganda’s petroleum industry.
Tusiime noted that Uganda is strategically utilizing its petroleum resources to accelerate industrialisation, enterprise growth, technological innovation, and long-term socio-economic development.
She revealed that since the Final Investment Decision in 2022, the petroleum sector has attracted investments exceeding USD 15 billion (about UGX 75 trillion). These investments have stimulated growth in critical sectors such as construction, transport, ICT, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, financial services, and education.
According to the Ministry, more than 21,000 Ugandans have already secured employment in the sector, with Ugandans accounting for over 90 percent of the workforce. This achievement reflects the success of the government’s national content policy aimed at promoting meaningful citizen participation in the oil and gas industry.
Additionally, over 14,000 Ugandans have received specialised training in technical fields including welding, fabrication, engineering, heavy machinery operation, logistics, health and safety, and environmental management. These skills are highly transferable and can support growth in infrastructure, renewable energy, mining, transport, and manufacturing sectors.
The government also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that petroleum resources contribute to sustainable national development through the implementation of the National Petroleum Policy 2025. The policy prioritises skills development, innovation, technology transfer, and stronger collaboration between industry players and training institutions.
Furthermore, government is developing the Local Content Development Fund Bill for the oil and gas industry. The proposed fund is expected to support enterprise development, technology transfer, skills training, and increased participation of Ugandans in petroleum activities.
Young people were encouraged to embrace technical skills, innovation, professionalism, and discipline in order to take advantage of the expanding opportunities within the sector and compete effectively on the global stage.
The 3rd Annual Oil and Gas Skills Expo continues to serve as an important platform for strengthening partnerships between government, academia, and the private sector while promoting transferable skills as a foundation for Uganda’s wider economic transformation.