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With first oil flowing from the Sangomar field and gas deliveries underway from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project, Senegal is marking its arrival as a key regional energy producer. At the “Invest in Senegal” Roundtable at African Energy Week 2025: Invest in African Energies, high-level representatives from government and industry will highlight the country’s investment-ready projects across exploration, production, refining and power generation, underscoring Senegal’s emergence as one of Africa’s most dynamic and integrated energy frontiers.

Speakers include Ibrahima Noba, Director for Exploration at the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines; Alioune Gueye, CEO of Petrosen; along with senior executives from Kosmos Energy and bp Senegal – two key partners in Senegal’s offshore gas revolution. The session will unpack how Senegal is leveraging its hydrocarbon base not just for exports, but as a foundation for long-term industrialization and domestic energy security.

In a strategic move to retain more value onshore, Senegal announced plans this month to refine the entirety of its Sangomar crude output domestically, positioning the SAR refinery in Dakar as a centerpiece of national energy policy. The refinery has already launched operations with an initial batch of 90,000 tons of refined petroleum products and is slated for further expansion, aiming to curb imports and supply the wider West African market.

Meanwhile, the GTA project, jointly developed by bp and Kosmos Energy, continues to scale up. With Phase 1 now operational, attention has shifted to Phase 2, which will expand LNG export capacity and deepen monetization of cross-border gas reserves shared with Mauritania. In parallel, the Yakaar-Teranga gas field – entirely located within Senegalese waters – offers significant potential for domestic development. Discussions are ongoing between the government and oil majors regarding the structure of future partnerships, with the state pushing for a gas-to-power-led development model aimed at supplying low-cost energy to households and industries.

Gas-to-power remains a central pillar of Senegal’s energy strategy. Last week, Karpowership commissioned Africa’s first LNG-to-power facility in Senegal, marking a major milestone. The country is advancing projects that integrate upstream production with domestic gas utilization and plans to develop over three gigawatts of gas-to-power capacity by 2050, aimed at reducing electricity costs, attracting manufacturing investment and expanding energy access for its growing population.

“At AEW 2025, the roundtable will also explore the evolving role of national oil company Petrosen in spearheading upstream and midstream development, new licensing opportunities for offshore exploration and the policy mechanisms enabling joint ventures across the entire value chain. With a stable political environment, clear energy vision and transparent regulatory framework, Senegal is fast becoming one of the most attractive destinations for energy investment in Africa,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.aecweek.com for more information about this exciting event.