Uganda will only benefit from the discovery of oil if it invests in training and development programmes and develops a strong tax infrastructure to attract investment in the country, according to the University of Oxford professor Paul Collier.

His comments came during a speech in the Ugandan capital Kampala and have been reproduced by the national daily paper the Independent.

Addressing his audience, he warned that Ugandan workers currently lack the training to support development and growth in the oil and gas industry, meaning foreign engineers and specialists may be relied on to bring oil to market.

The next step, Professor Collier added, will be for the Ugandan government to develop an attractive tax regime that will promote inward investment in the country, allowing for profits to be pumped back into other parts of the economy.

His comments came earlier this month as Tullow Oil, the major stakeholder in the Ugandan project, announced that it would be putting its interest in two blocks up for tender.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development