The oil and gas sector in East Africa is on the verge of a major boom, as various infrastructure projects are expected to coming online, according to Bridget Ssamula, managing director of AECOMUganda
Global oil and gas companies have set up offices and some of these deliver projects in Uganda with general interest, said Ssamula.
The sector is taking on changing acquirement methodologies, from public-private partnerships (PPPs) to design and build engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) and engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM).
“This has opened up opportunities for various sectors that support the construction and services industries,” Ssamula noted. In addition, there is an increased focus on local content to ensure that the financial investment in the infrastructure sector trickles through to locally-registered entities, a concept familiar to South Africa through the government’s Supplier Development Programmes (SDPs).
In the given perspective, AECOM has taken initiatives to leverage its global skills, expertise and project experience to a number of oil and gas projects in East Africa.
AECOM has been involved with the environmental and social impact assessment for Total and Tullow in the Tilenga field-development project in Western Uganda since 2013.
In addition, the targets spend for local partners have grown from 26 per cent of the project cost to 40 per cent as a result.
This project has constituted a particular environmental challenge since it is located mostly in the wildlife conservation areas of Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks.
“A major outcome is that our local partner is now able to tender for similar projects in the oil and gas sector on its own accord,” Ssamula revealed.
As part of the company’s strategy for East Africa, the Uganda office has focused on establishing the brand in the region over the last two years.
“The country’s working climate, due to the type of foreign direct investment, is evolving to become more responsive competitively, as are other East Africa countries, albeit at a different pace,” Ssamula concluded.
