Kenya Earns KSh 248 Million in Crude Oil Royalties from Turkana Under Pilot Scheme

Turkana, Kenya — The Kenyan government has earned $1.915 million (approximately KSh 248.2 million) in royalties from crude oil exports originating from the Turkana oil fields, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi announced on Thursday. The revenue was generated under the Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS), a precursor to Kenya’s broader ambitions in commercial oil production.

A substantial portion of the 2024 earnings came from exports routed through Uganda’s pipeline infrastructure, with Block 10BB accounting for the largest share — generating $1.103 million in royalties alone.

CS Wandayi confirmed that the government is now laying the groundwork for full-scale commercial production. As part of the 2025/26 fiscal year budget, the government has allocated KSh 1.67 billion toward critical infrastructure, including pipelines and field development, aimed at enabling long-term extraction and export of crude oil.

“These initial earnings demonstrate the viability of Kenya’s oil reserves,” Wandayi stated. “With the pilot phase now validating commercial potential, our focus is on scaling up operations and ensuring the infrastructure is in place to support sustained exports.”

The announcement marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s quest to become a regional oil producer, following years of exploratory drilling and environmental assessments in Turkana County. Officials are optimistic that revenues will increase significantly once the country transitions from pilot exports to continuous commercial production.

The Early Oil Pilot Scheme, launched in 2018, was designed to test logistics, infrastructure capacity, and the international market’s reception of Kenyan crude. The positive results have since fueled policy momentum for full development of the country’s petroleum assets.