Ekituti -The Pulpit

08/09/2026

UNOC describes the latest development as Uganda vending its oil on the international market, starting with Singapore, with the United States next and the United Arab Emirates to follow.

And this is not just a ceremonial debut. UNOC has appointed global energy trader Vitol to market Uganda’s “Pearl Sweet” crude, giving the country’s oil an experienced international trading partner as Uganda prepare for exports expected in early 2027.

The choice of APPEC in Singapore, one of the world’s premier oil and gas trading platforms, is particularly significant. It gives Uganda’s crude a premium stage on which to make its international debut and connect with global buyers.

For decades, Uganda was a consumer in the petroleum industry, importing virtually all the petroleum products needed to power our economy. Today, there is a bold move into the position of a producer, with its own crude being prepared for the international market.

Produced from the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields, the crude will travel through the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania for export.

This is bigger than simply selling crude oil. It is a sign that Uganda is moving into a new phase of its economic journey—one that can bring value addition, industrialisation, jobs, skills, technology and stronger participation in the global economy.

As we head towards 2027 and first exports, the trajectory is encouraging. The infrastructure is taking shape, the crude now has a name and an international marketing partner, and Uganda is preparing to enter a market where it has never participated as a producer before.

With Pearl Sweet’s low sulphur concentration, a unique selling point, Ugandan oil executives are optimistic that the crude will attract interest across different markets whenever commercial...

07/09/2026

Juba is finding its feet and that matters for South Sudan and East Africa.

As the world’s youngest capital continues to grow, the Juba City Council administration is beginning to show that developing a capital city is about more than putting up buildings. It is about making the city work.

From improving roads and strengthening sanitation to embracing digital systems and planning for a cleaner, greener and safer city, there are signs of a city administration determined to get the basics right.

The ongoing push to rehabilitate the Juba–Nimule corridor is particularly significant. This is not just another road. It is a vital economic artery connecting South Sudan to Uganda and, through the wider East African transport network, to the Port of Mombasa.

For traders in Juba, Nimule, Kampala and across the region, better roads mean easier movement of goods, lower transport costs, more reliable supply chains and greater opportunities for business.

And this is where Juba’s transformation becomes bigger than Juba.

As South Sudan picks itself up and begins to walk, its capital must be ready to move with it. A clean, orderly, connected and efficiently managed Juba can become an important engine of South Sudan’s economic recovery—and a stronger link in East Africa’s growing trade network.

The race to develop is on. Juba is finding its footing.