The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has registered another milestone in national capacity building after 56 Ugandans completed specialised oil and gas training and earned internationally recognised certification.

The graduates, drawn from the second cohort of the Tilenga Academy Training Programme, were awarded Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO) certification on Sunday following successful training at the Institute of Industrial Training and Services (INSTEP) in Malaysia.

The newly certified professionals are expected to play a key role in supporting the start up of Uganda’s first commercial oil production, adding to the country’s growing pool of nationally trained oil and gas personnel.

Speaking at the ceremony, Uganda’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Betty Oyella Bigombe, commended the Government of Uganda, TotalEnergies EP Uganda, and their partners for prioritising meaningful skills development in the sector. She described the Tilenga Academy as a practical example of how partnerships can drive knowledge transfer and prepare Ugandans for participation in the oil and gas industry.

Ambassador Bigombe noted that the programme is designed to build the human capital required for the sustainable management of Uganda’s petroleum resources, as the country moves closer to production.

The Tilenga Academy Training Programme forms part of broader efforts by government and industry players to ensure that Ugandans are equipped with globally competitive skills and certifications needed to take up technical and operational roles in the oil and gas value chain.