News

With Africa’s energy finance gap estimated at between $31 and $50 billion, the continent presents a major opportunity for investors to scale up commitments and unlock its vast oil, gas and renewable potential. During African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 this month, a series of country spotlight sessions brought together global financiers and African leaders to explore opportunities across both mature and frontier markets. These sessions provided strategic insights into national investment landscapes and set the stage for transformative deals expected to be signed at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2026, taking place in Cape Town on October 12–16.

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea will launch its 2026 licensing round in April next year, offering acreage across both on- and offshore basins. The country’s Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development Antonio Oburu Ondo made the announcement during AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, detailing opportunities for exploration firms. The upcoming licensing round will feature 24 blocks and forms part of a national strategy to accelerate exploration, attract foreign investment and unlock new production opportunities across the country.

The licensing round complements the existing open-door policy. Since the launch of the policy in 2023, the country has signed seven new production sharing contracts (PSC), including a recent multi-billion deal with energy major ConocoPhillips. The licensing round signals Equatorial Guinea’s willingness to engage global partners and advance projects. To support upcoming drilling campaigns, the government is also improving its library of seismic data. In collaboration with Perceptum and GeoexMCG, the country is reprocessing more than 9,600 km² of seismic in the Rio Muni Basin. Complementing this initiative, Searcher Seismic is acquiring and reprocessing 2D and 3D seismic data in underexplored areas, delivering high-quality technical packages designed to enhance competitiveness and build investor confidence.

Algeria

As one of the continent’s biggest oil and gas producers, Algeria is making significant strides to unlock the full potential of its hydrocarbon resources. With a focus on frontier zones and shale gas, the country is promoting investment through improved fiscal terms. A country spotlight session at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 drew insight into these opportunities, setting the stage for new deals to be signed in Algeria.

With over 700 trillion cubic feet of un-risked shale gas resources, Algeria is seeking partners to monetize these resources. This creates opportunities for operators and service companies alike, with the country looking at drawing on global experience to establish a strong domestic supply chain. Algeria is also looking at launching a licensing round in Q1 or Q2 next year, under efforts to advance exploration across offshore basins. The country has seen several high-impact deals signed in 2025 already, including eight hydrocarbon contracts. This reflects Algeria’s openness for investment, with AEW: Invest in African Energies serving as a launchpad for future investments.

Gabon

With over 72% of its resources unexploited, Gabon represents a strategic market for exploration and production companies. The country is calling for renewed international investment across the oil and gas market, with the aim of monetizing marginal field opportunities to counteract declines from aging reservoirs. The country currently has over 30 marginal discoveries across both onshore and offshore blocks, highlighting an attractive opportunity for smaller players and independents. To support investment, the country is instituting a series of reforms in its 2019 Hydrocarbon Code, including the introduction of flexible PSCs. With over 185,000 km² of acreage unlicensed and open for investment, Gabon offers promising opportunities for investors.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has introduced a five-pillar strategy aimed at advancing the development of the energy value chain. The strategy – dubbed the Zimbabwe National Energy Development Compact – seeks to mobilize $9 billion in investments, including $4.4 billion from the private sector. The strategy comes as the country advances projects in natural gas, renewable energy and infrastructure, with broader goals of increasing access to clean cooking from 38% to 70% and expanding the share of hydropower from 7% to 29%. The strategy reflects Zimbabwe’s commitment to strengthening its energy sector through global partnerships.