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Designing Competitive Tenders for Africa’s Upstream Markets

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African Energy

The Invest in African Energy 2025 Forum in Paris will showcase up to seven licensing rounds on the continent and unlock new strategies to compete for global exploration capital

PARIS, France, September 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Africa’s upstream sector is not short on opportunity, with oil and gas tenders being launched for onshore, deepwater, greenfield and brownfield acreage in Angola, Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Liberia, among other markets. Yet for African countries to better compete for global exploration capital, their respective licensing processes, frameworks and terms must encourage new investment. Featuring up to seven African licensing rounds, the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris will explore strategies for designing more competitive oil and gas tenders on the continent, as well as highlight the markets that have already implemented successful upstream reforms.

Creating Stable Regulatory Frameworks

The establishment of transparent and stable regulatory frameworks is crucial for attracting upstream investors, who are more likely to commit capital when they have clarity on the legal and regulatory environment. This includes ensuring that laws governing oil and gas exploration, production and taxation are well-defined and consistently applied, as well as establishing independent regulatory bodies that can enforce regulations impartially. Angola (https://apo-opa.co/4dJwg4j) – which will launch a 10-block limited public tender in 2025 – has been recognized for both. Its Petroleum Activities Law provides investors with a clear understanding of their obligations and rights, while its National Agency of Oil, Gas & Biofuels independently oversees the award of licenses and has gained the trust of upstream investors.

Following overwhelming interest in its prolific offshore Orange Basin, Namibia (https://apo-opa.co/3Z7sblO) adopted a more streamlined licensing system at the start of this year, restricting open-door negotiation to a two-month period to eliminate bottlenecks and accelerate the evaluation of bids. Similarly, Liberia (https://apo-opa.co/4dDMnQJ) opened a direct negotiation licensing round earlier this month, featuring 29 offshore blocks in the Liberia and Harper basins and supported by over 26,000 km² of 3D data. The upcoming forum will explore licensing opportunities in both countries and their commitment to a stable and favorable investment environment.  

Ensuring Transparent Bidding Processes

To enhance the attractiveness of oil and gas tenders, bidding processes must be competitive and transparent. A well-structured, open bidding process can build investor confidence and encourage participation from a broad range of companies, allowing them to compete on equal terms. Nigeria’s Marginal Fields Bid Round in 2020 was one of the most transparent in the country’s history, attracting a diverse range of bidders, with over 600 companies (https://apo-opa.co/4ebAHVn) registering to participate and licenses awarded to Nigerian companies including Matrix Energy, SunTrust Oil, Shoreline Natural Resources, Seplat Petroleum Development Company and Green Energy International. As the country launched its latest bidding round in April 2024 – placing 36 blocks on offer across the onshore Niger Delta, Continental Shelf and deep offshore for a period of nine months – the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has promised transparent evaluation processes and competitive entry fees, specifically inviting the participation of indigenous companies with sufficient technical expertise and financial resources.

To ensure transparent and efficient tenders, Kenya (https://apo-opa.co/4e2HiRC) utilizes e-bidding platforms for various procurement processes, including in the oil and gas sector, which electronically manages the entire process from the advertisement of tenders to the submission and evaluation of bids. The country’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum plans to launch its first licensing round (https://apo-opa.co/4ebyt8p) in late-2024 or early-2025 offering 45 onshore and offshore blocks.

Offering Competitive Fiscal Terms

African licensing rounds should establish competitive fiscal terms, which encourage investment and adapt to changing market conditions, while providing contractual stability and safeguarding government revenues. Angola’s reforms to its fiscal regime, including reduced taxes and royalties for marginal fields, have made the development of marginal fields more economically viable and led to the first-time inclusion of five marginal fields in the 2025 bid round. Meanwhile, incentives for high-risk or frontier areas such as tax breaks and reduced royalties can catalyze investment in emerging markets. Uganda’s fiscal regime – which includes stabilization clauses that protect oil companies from adverse regulatory changes, as well as joint and several liability to ensure tax recovery – have attracted major investors including TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation to the Albertine Graben, a highly prospective yet frontier basin. The regime also features progressive royalty structures that increase with production, ensuring revenue responsiveness to market conditions. Contract stability is another key incentive. Mozambique (https://apo-opa.co/3Z9bPsV) – which is preparing the launch of its seventh licensing round in 2025 – has been able to attract large-scale upstream investment in part due to its ability to secure long-term LNG offtake agreements.

Prioritizing Local Content and Capacity Building

Designing realistic local content policies (https://apo-opa.co/3AK3JN8) (LCPs) that gradually increase over time, while being beneficial to the host country, is also critical to attracting upstream investment at an early stage. Following its world-class offshore discoveries, Namibia has fast-tracked the development of its Namibian Content Policy, which is nearing finalization, focusing on facilitating market access and financing for Namibians. Tanzania has also prioritized the development of comprehensive local content requirements – expected to drive interest in its fifth oil and gas licensing round to be launched later this year – as well as encourage joint ventures between international companies and local firms to build local expertise. The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation is collaborating with Indonesia’s state-owned Pertamina to provide human resource training and upskilling, following Pertamina’s interest in Tanzania’s upstream oil and gas exploration scene.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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