The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and China Oil Services Limited (COSL Uganda-SMC) have reaffirmed their strategic alliance, signing the First Addendum to their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
This pivotal move extends the technical cooperation between the two entities for an additional three years, signalling a unified vision to drive growth, efficiency, and excellence within Uganda’s upstream petroleum sector.
The Addendum was signed today by UNOC Chief Executive, Ms. Proscovia Nabbanja, and COSL Uganda-SMC General Manager, Mr. Xiu Yu.
According to Nabbanja, “this renewed partnership is central to UNOC’s ongoing dedication to building strategic alliances that enhance industry capabilities and support the nation’s broader development goals.”
Deepening Technical Expertise and National Content
Nabbanja revealed that the extended MOU provides a robust framework for continued collaboration, specifically targeting capacity building and knowledge transfer, key pillars for advancing Uganda’s national content agenda. She revealed that the areas of cooperation between the two entities include:
Joint Technical Workshops: Facilitating shared learning and addressing complex industry challenges.
Capacity-Building Initiatives: Implementing programs designed to strengthen the skills of Ugandan personnel.
Knowledge Exchange and Skill Sharing: Allowing UNOC staff to gain hands-on experience and transfer specialised knowledge from COSL.
Exploration of Joint Venture Opportunities: Identifying and pursuing collaborative commercial projects in the petroleum sector.
Mutually Beneficial Initiatives: Supporting other projects that specifically align with national content development, ensuring Ugandans benefit directly from the petroleum industry’s growth.
Commitment to Long-Term Energy Security
The successful extension reflects the shared confidence between UNOC and COSL in the future of Uganda’s oil and gas sector. By securing this technical support, UNOC enhances its operational readiness and technical capabilities ahead of anticipated upstream activities.
In her concluding remarks, Nabbanja reiterated the strategic importance of such alliances, saying, “We remain committed to delivering on our mandate through partnerships that create value, build capacity, and contribute to the country’s long-term energy security and sustainable resource development.”
She noted that this renewed partnership is a testament to UNOC’s proactive approach to ensuring that local expertise is developed to manage and sustain Uganda’s oil and gas resources responsibly and efficiently.