TotalEnergies’ Tilenga Project, a massive oil drilling operation in Uganda Murchison Falls National Park is raising alarms over environmental destruction, forced displacements, and questionable government permits.
The project which aims to extract 190,000 barrels of oil per day has come under fire from environmentalists, local communities, and human rights activists who argue that it is destroying a protected national treasure while violating legal and ethical standards.
Murchison Falls National Park one of Africa’s most biodiverse ecosystems is now the site of dozens of oil wells, roads, and pipelines as TotalEnergies pushes forward with its Tilenga Project.
The French oil giant in partnership with the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments is developing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) which will transport crude oil from Uganda to Tanzania’s coast for export.
The project includes 419 oil wells with many inside Murchison Falls National Park a home to elephants, giraffes, lions, and rare bird species. The park is now being fragmented by oil roads and drilling sites with over 100,000 people being displaced with little to no compensation.
TotalEnergies, a global oil giant has a major stake in Uganda’s oil reserves. The company insists it has followed environmental regulations and has taken mitigation measures but activists disagree with these claims.
The government sees oil as a game changer for the economy promising jobs, infrastructure, and increased revenue. However, many accuse the government of prioritizing profits over conservation.
Groups like AIFE Uganda, Climate Justice activists, and local conservationists are fighting back to expose the devastating impact of the project. Many activists have faced harassment, arrests, and threats for speaking out.
The biggest worry in the Tilenga project is the legitimacy of its permits which the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) claim were rushed and failed to account for long-term damages.
These permits were allegedly issued under political pressure, ignoring environmental laws. Uganda’s National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) gave the green light despite protests from conservation groups.
Despite these concerns, the courts in Uganda and government agencies have largely sided with TotalEnergies leaving little room for legal challenges.
One of the most devastating impacts of the project is its mass displacement with reports indicating that over 100,000 people have been forced off their land to make way for oil infrastructure and compensation has been delayed leaving many families in poverty and uncertainty.
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, home to over 76 mammal species including endangered elephants and lions, over 450 bird species some of which are found nowhere else in the world and Nile River which is now at risk of oil spills and pollution
With roads and infrastructure cutting through the wilderness, conservationists fear that habitat destruction will push these species to extinction, oil spills and pollution could poison the Nile River which will reduce on tourism revenue that this place has been generating annually.
Despite massive opposition, the government of Uganda and TotalEnergies remain determined to push forward.
Meanwhile, Environmental groups are filing legal challenges in France against TotalEnergies, Activists in Uganda and Europe are demanding a halt to the project and Investors are under pressure to withdraw from funding the project.
The Tilenga Project is more than just an oil drilling operation it is a defining moment for Uganda’s environmental and economic future. While oil promises short-term profits, the long-term damage to Uganda’s wildlife, people, and climate could be irreversible.
