A group of ten Ugandan farmers has filed a lawsuit in the United Kingdom's High Court against EACOP Ltd, the UK-registered company responsible for developing and operating the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), in a move that could set a significant legal precedent for multinational energy projects operating across Africa.
The claim has been brought on behalf of residents whose land falls within the pipeline corridor. Represented by London-based law firm Leigh Day, the farmers argue that the project's development and operation breach several provisions of Ugandan law, including constitutional guarantees to a clean and healthy environment, the National Environment Act 2019 and the National Climate Change Act 2021. Rather than seeking damages alone, the claim asks the UK court to require EACOP Ltd to comply with Ugandan environmental and constitutional obligations while carrying out the project.
The case is unusual because it seeks to apply Ugandan law to a company incorporated in England and Wales. Legal experts say the proceedings will test whether UK courts can exercise jurisdiction over overseas infrastructure projects where the operating company is registered in the United Kingdom. If accepted, the case could influence how multinational companies manage legal, environmental and human rights obligations across borders.
Farmers cite land, livelihoods and environmental concerns
According to the claimants, the pipeline threatens farmland, freshwater resources and ecologically sensitive areas while exposing communities to long-term environmental and climate-related risks. The farmers say the project has disrupted livelihoods that depend largely on agriculture and argue that the legal protections available under Ugandan law should be enforceable regardless of where the operating company is incorporated.
The legal action also draws attention to the wider social impact of the project. Campaigners supporting the case estimate that more than 100,000 people have been affected by land acquisition and compensation processes associated with the pipeline across Uganda and Tanzania. While not all of those individuals are party to the lawsuit, the claimants argue that their case reflects concerns shared by many communities along the pipeline route.
The lawsuit has been financially supported through a global crowdfunding campaign that reportedly attracted contributions from more than 40,000 people, coordinated by advocacy organisation Avaaz.
A project of strategic importance
The US$5.6 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline is a 1,443-kilometre heated crude oil pipeline that will transport oil from Uganda's Tilenga and Kingfisher fields to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania. Once operational, it is expected to become the world's longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline, with capacity to transport up to 216,000 barrels of crude per day. The project is jointly owned by TotalEnergies (62%), Uganda National Oil Company (15%), Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (15%) and CNOOC (8%). Construction has advanced to roughly 80 per cent, with first oil exports expected later this year.
The Ugandan and Tanzanian governments have consistently defended EACOP as a transformative infrastructure project that will unlock East Africa's petroleum resources, generate employment, stimulate local businesses and create new export revenues. Project developers have also maintained that land acquisition and compensation have been undertaken in accordance with national laws and applicable international standards.
Implications beyond EACOP
Regardless of the eventual outcome, the lawsuit is expected to attract close attention from governments, investors and infrastructure developers across Africa.
For pipeline developers, the case underscores the growing importance of environmental governance, community engagement and legal compliance alongside engineering and financing. For investors and lenders, it highlights how legal challenges in one jurisdiction can increasingly influence projects operating across multiple countries.
As Africa continues to pursue large-scale cross-border energy infrastructure, the proceedings could become an important reference point for how multinational pipeline operators manage social, environmental and governance responsibilities throughout the lifecycle of future projects.
Author