Tanzania’s Rural Energy Agency (REA) and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) have signed a five-year cooperation agreement to extend electricity to villages and communities along the pipeline corridor, marking a major step in linking energy infrastructure with inclusive rural development.

The agreement, signed in Dar es Salaam by REA Director General Hassan Saidy and EACOP Managing Director Guillaume Dulout, will deliver reliable power to settlements stretching from the Kagera Region in northwestern Tanzania to the coastal Tanga Region, ensuring communities directly affected by the project share in its benefits.

Saidy said the electrification program will strengthen essential social services, including schools, health centers and water supply systems, while unlocking opportunities for small businesses, agro-processing and other productive rural enterprises.

The Managing Director noted that the initiative reflects EACOP’s commitment to improving livelihoods along the pipeline route, stressing that large-scale energy projects must translate into tangible gains for local communities and long-term social impact.

The 1,443-kilometer pipeline, which will transport Uganda’s crude oil from Kabaale-Hoima to the Chongoleani peninsula near Tanga for export, passes through eight regions, 27 councils and 231 villages in Tanzania, positioning the electrification deal as a transformative intervention for thousands of rural residents along this vital East African energy corridor.