Africa’s oil and gas sector is gathering momentum in 2025, with fresh discoveries, licensing rounds, and seismic surveys reshaping the continent’s energy landscape.
The Republic of Congo is the latest to make headlines after granting an offshore exploration license to QatarEnergy, signaling a deepening of ties with global energy giants.
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Under the Production Sharing Contract, QatarEnergy will hold a 35% stake in the Nzombo block, while France’s TotalEnergies, the operator, takes 50%, and state-owned Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo retains 15%, according to Gulf Times.
The block, located about 90 kilometers off Pointe-Noire, spans 1,053 square kilometers with waters exceeding 1,000 meters in depth.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, who also serves as President and CEO of QatarEnergy, described the award as a “promising opportunity,” thanking the Congolese government for its cooperation and expressing optimism about the forthcoming exploration campaign.
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The deal comes as other African countries ramp up exploration:
- Rwanda reported its first-ever oil discovery in Lake Kivu in January, with 13 reservoirs identified—a major step toward diversifying its economy beyond agriculture, mining, and tourism.
- Namibia, already touted as one of the most attractive offshore frontiers, has seen growing interest from majors like Chevron and TotalEnergies, with exploratory drilling in the Walvis Basin projected for 2026–2027. Analysts have compared the region’s potential to Guyana’s prolific oil reserves.
- South Africa is preparing for TotalEnergies-led offshore drilling from 2026, pending regulatory approval.
- Sierra Leone recently conducted its first offshore 3D seismic survey in nearly a decade, with early estimates suggesting up to 30 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent, including a high-potential Vega prospect.
- Angola’s Azule Energy announced a significant offshore gas find in the Lower Congo Basin in July, with reserves estimated at more than 1 trillion cubic feet of gas and up to 100 million barrels of condensate.
- Meanwhile, Benin’s historic Sèmè field—abandoned for nearly three decades—has seen drilling resume under Singapore-based Akrake Petroleum.
From Central Africa to the Atlantic coast, governments are leaning on hydrocarbon development to spur growth and strengthen energy security.
Analysts say these moves underscore Africa’s growing role in global oil supply, especially as international energy companies compete for access to untapped reserves.
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