20 Ugandan welders graduate from EACOP Advanced Welding Training Program
He added that the program is part of EACOP’s efforts to maximize national content in Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
Buliisa: A total of 20 Ugandan welders have graduated from the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) training program on advanced automatic welding technology.
The ceremony marked the close of the 2026 Ugandan welders training program held on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the EACOP camp in Butiaba, Buliisa District, where the trainees were awarded certificates of completion after months of instruction in advanced welding techniques.
The three-month training equipped welders already employed in the oil and gas sector with advanced skills in automatic pipeline welding, a critical component in the construction of the 1,443-kilometre crude oil pipeline stretching from Kabaale in Hoima District, Uganda, to Tanga in Tanzania.
Vincent Zhou, the National Content Coordinator for China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited (CPP), said the initiative is aimed at building local capacity to enable Ugandans take up skilled roles in the project.
He added that the program is part of EACOP’s efforts to maximize national content in Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
Matia Bagatya, the Deputy National Content Manager at CPP, noted that the training commenced on February 9, 2026, with 22 participants enrolled, but only 20 successfully completed the course.
Bagatya explained that the successful trainees can now operate CPP’s automatic digital welding systems for pipelines. He added that the company will select the best 10 graduates for integrated non-destructive testing training.
Joshua Oala, the National Content Officer at EACOP, noted that the skills acquired by the welders are not limited to the oil and gas industry but can also be applied in other sectors.
Wilberforce Ainebyona, the National Content Officer at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, said such training programs will help Ugandans fully benefit from the country’s natural resources.
Some of the participants, including Rose Mary Naija and Hawa Kayesu, described the training as a positive step and called on the government to invest more in similar programs to reduce dependence on foreign welders and trainers.
The two female graduates also encouraged more women to join the welding profession, stressing that welding should not be viewed as a male-only career. They urged fellow women to embrace technical training opportunities, saying such skills promote employment and economic empowerment.
Out of the 22 welders enrolled in the program, 20 successfully graduated, including two women.
Story filed by Flavia Ajok and Christopher Bruno
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