Energy Law — Oil & Gas · Major Transactions
K&K Advocates acts as Ugandan local counsel to Alpha MBM Investments LLC in the negotiation, structuring, and implementation of a USD 4.5 billion agreement with the Government of Uganda to construct and operate Uganda's first oil refinery at Kabaale, Hoima District.
Estimated Value: USD 4,500,000,000
Status: Ongoing
Uganda's refinery project has been in development for over a decade, with previous investor groups — including Russian, South Korean, Chinese, and American-backed consortia — failing to bring the project to financial close. Alpha MBM Investments LLC, a UAE-based investment firm, entered negotiations with the Government of Uganda in January 2024 to unlock a project of major national and commercial importance. The proposed refinery at Kabaale in Hoima District is designed to process 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, reducing reliance on imported refined petroleum products estimated to cost Uganda approximately USD 2 billion annually. Structured as a joint venture between Alpha MBM Investments LLC (60%) and Uganda National Oil Company (40%), the project is to be financed entirely through equity.
K&K Advocates acted for Alpha MBM Investments LLC as Ugandan law counsel, alongside Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman as international counsel. The Firm advised on the drafting, review, and negotiation of the principal project agreements with the Government of Uganda and provided strategic support in relation to engagement with key Government agencies. Following the signing of the Refinery Implementation Agreement in March 2025, after fifteen months of negotiations, K&K Advocates has continued to advise on key project agreements and critical Ugandan law issues essential to the project's implementation.
Lead Partners: Edwin Karugire · Peter Kauma
Team: Tendo Lubwama · Cara Kyasimiire
Co-Counsel: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (International)
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