Africa-Press – Uganda. Makerere, Kyambogo and Nkumba universities have received state-of-the-art software and computer hardware from TotalEnergies EP Uganda and Schlumberger (SLB) to enhance oil and gas training, in a major push to boost national content and prepare skilled Ugandan professionals for the energy sector.
At a handover ceremony held on June 6, 2025, the two companies provided each of the three universities with eight computer stations fully equipped with tower servers, dual monitors and peripherals, valued at over $200,000 (Shs770 million).
Schlumberger, now officially branded as SLB, also donated four specialised software licenses—Petrel, Techlog, Eclipse and Petromod—which are globally used in petroleum geoscience and engineering.
These tools are designed to simulate real-world oil and gas exploration and production, and are critical for bridging academic learning with field applications.
Philippe Groueix, general manager of TotalEnergies EP Uganda, said the donation underscores the company’s commitment to education and national skills development.
“Over the years, we have placed great emphasis on supporting educational institutions such as UPIK, Makerere and Kyambogo to develop the capacities required to train more Ugandans in oil and gas disciplines,” he said.
“Today’s handover is aimed at augmenting this support in line with our commitments to national content development and youth inclusion.”
He noted that more than 1,500 Ugandans have already been trained in technical fields through TotalEnergies initiatives, many with internationally recognized certifications.
Valerian Pfrimmer, managing director for East and South Africa at SLB, said the software donation was part of the company’s strategy to align education with industry needs.
“These platforms cover the full spectrum of exploration and production and are essential to real-world operations,” he said.
SLB will also conduct user training at the universities in July 2025 and has committed to renewing the licenses annually.
University representatives Prof Juma Kasozi (Makerere), Dr John Okuonzi (Kyambogo), and Prof Jude T. Lubega (Nkumba) received the equipment on behalf of their institutions, expressing appreciation for the support and pledging to maximize the tools in training future professionals.
The Petroleum Authority of Uganda, represented by National Content Manager Betty Namubiru, and joint venture partners such as the Uganda National Oil Company, CNOOC, and EACOP Ltd. also witnessed the event.
Anita Kayongo, Corporate Affairs Manager at TotalEnergies EP Uganda, said the initiative builds on a range of ongoing educational and skilling programs.
“This support complements our other initiatives such as the Tilenga Academy, the Train the Trainer Program, emergency medicine simulation at Makerere, internships, graduate trainee placements, and scholarship programs,” she said.
The initiative supports Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education and Uganda’s national content strategy to ensure local talent is ready for employment in the country’s growing oil and gas sector as the first oil draws closer.
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