Africa is making strides to expand its oil and gas reserves, with multiple countries introducing new licensing rounds and accelerating ongoing ones.
Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to spearhead this growth, with more than 11 licensing rounds planned for 2024 and 2025.
Nigeria Unveils 2024 Deepwater Bid Round
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission launched the Nigeria License Round 2024 in April 2024, offering 19 oil and gas blocks.
The round includes 12 new oil blocks and seven deep offshore assets which were not awarded in previous rounds.
The 12 new blocks include six oil blocks on the continental shelf, four deep offshore blocks, and two onshore blocks in the Niger Delta. The licensing round will conclude in January 2025.
Zanzibar’s First Licensing Round
Zanzibar is inviting submissions from global E&P firms to participate in the country’s first licensing round, offering eight offshore blocks.
Launched on 20 March 2024, the licensing round offers blocks in water depths between 500m and 3,000m. Tender winners will be awarded 5-year exploration contracts. Bidding is open until 16 September 2024.
Namibia – New Open-Door System
Namibia is awarding new E&P licenses in two 2-month periods in 2024 as part of a new open-door system entitled the New System, launched in January 2024 to address a backlog of permit applications.
The country is receiving applications for its onshore blocks as from 2 April 2024 to 31 May 2024 and for offshore E&P licenses as from 1 September through 31 October 2024.
DRC 2022 Bid Round
The Ministry of Hydrocarbons for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is seeking applications for its 2022 Bid Round, offering 24 onshore blocks.
Bidding will close by Q3 – 2024. The country offered 30 blocks, across 5 basins; Cuvette Centrale, Coastal Basin, Lake Tanganyika, the Albertine Graben and Lake Kivu, in the licensing round, with contracts for 6 blocks awarded in 2023.
Tanzania’s Fifth Licensing Round
Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority will launch the country’s 5th licensing round in mid-2024, offering 26 exploration blocks including 15 onshore and 11 offshore.
The country is finalizing changes to its 2013 Model Production Sharing Agreement to ensure fiscal and commercial terms offered to E&P firms are attractive and meets local content development strategy.
Uganda’s Third Licensing Round
Uganda’s Ministry of Energy will unveil its third Licensing Round, offering blocks in the Open Albertine Graben basin, in mid-2024. Uganda’s Cabinet approved Environmental, Social Impact Assessments for the blocks in January 2024.
Somalia 2024 Licensing Round
The Somali Petroleum Authority is set to intensify exploration efforts with the launch of its 2024 Licensing Round. Some 26 offshore blocks in the Somali and Lamu basins will be offered for exploration. The round will close in 2026.
Kenya’s First Licensing Round
Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum will launch its first licensing round in late 2024 or early 2025, offering 45 onshore and offshore blocks.
The country discovered over 550 million barrels of oil reserves in the South Lokichar Oilfield through exploration conducted by Eni, TotalEnergies, Tullow Oil, Maersk and Africa Oil Corp.
Angola 2025 Limited Public Tender
Angola’s Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG) is set to launch its 2025 Limited Public Tender, offering up to 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Bengeula basins, in Q1 – 2025.
The tender aims to increase Angola’s oil and gas production above 1.1 million barrels per day through 2027.
In March 2024, the ANPG announced winners for a 12-block oil and gas tender covering Lower Congo and Kwanza onshore basins.
Mozambique’s Seventh Licensing Round
Mozambique is preparing the launch of its hydrocarbon E&P tender as from 2025 to ensure the sustainable growth of its oil and gas industry.
The country’s regulator the National Petroleum Institute (INP) awarded five oil and gas E&P contracts to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation in April 2024 as part of its 6th licensing round. INP is expected to sign a contract with Eni for the A6-C area in 2024.
South Africa Future Licensing Rounds
South is expected to open offshore and onshore acreage, including for shale gas blocks, as from 2025. The country changed from open-door to competitive bid rounds following the enactment of the
Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill in November 2023. The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy published the country’s draft Gas Master Plan in 2024, which includes plans to enhance E&P production and infrastructure development across the gas value chain to maximize market expansion.
