When and where will Uganda's next oil exploration licensing round take place, and what is its significance?

Uganda will offer its third petroleum exploration licensing round in the 2026/27 financial year—starting in July—and it will cover new exploration blocks in the Albertine Graben as well as frontier basins. This round is significant because it aims to expand Uganda’s oil resource base through potential new discoveries, especially since only 40% of the Albertine Graben—which holds the country’s entire estimated 6.5 billion barrels of reserves—has been explored so far, and preliminary surveys are already underway in two new basins: Moroto-Kadam and Kyoga.

Who are the key operators of Uganda's existing oil fields, and where are those fields located?

Uganda's existing oil fields are co-owned and operated by France's TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), China's CNOOC (600938.SS), and Uganda's state-owned petroleum firm, UNOC. All of these fields are located in the Albertine Graben, a geologically active rift basin that straddles Uganda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uganda to Offer New Oil Exploration Licensing Round in 2026/27 Financial Year

Apr 28, 2026

Uganda will launch its third petroleum exploration licensing round in the 2026/27 financial year to expand resources beyond the Albertine Graben. Current reserves total 6.5 billion barrels, operated jointly by TotalEnergies, CNOOC, and UNOC.

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