African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 brought five African markets — Liberia, Algeria, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea and Angola — into investment discussions, with governments presenting more than 120 exploration blocks alongside licensing opportunities and proposals to attract upstream capital.
Held in Cape Town from October 12 to 16, AEW provided a platform for governments and national oil companies to present exploration acreage, explain licensing procedures and engage international operators on opportunities across established and emerging hydrocarbon basins.
Liberia launched its 2026 Offshore Direct Negotiation Licensing Round on October 14, offering 15 offshore blocks in the Liberia and Harper basins. The acreage is supported by more than 50,000 line-kilometers of two-dimensional seismic surveys and approximately 31,000 square kilometers of three-dimensional seismic coverage. Companies have until April 15, 2027, to submit letters of intent.
Algeria presented seven onshore exploration areas covering approximately 49,000 square kilometers across five basins. Qualified companies can access data rooms and seek clarifications until November 30, 2026, with bids due January 25, 2027, according to the National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources (ALNAFT).
Senegal highlighted 104 available blocks following the reorganization of its upstream acreage earlier in 2026. Energy and Petroleum Minister El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf said four blocks were under contract and five had been allocated to Eni for studies, leaving further acreage available to prospective investors.
Equatorial Guinea promoted opportunities across shallow-water, offshore and ultra-deepwater acreage. Its national oil company, GEPetrol, is also seeking a partner to redevelop Block B. The country offers several contractual options, including production-sharing contracts, concessions and risk-service agreements.
Angola proposed moving from scheduled licensing rounds toward a system of permanently available exploration acreage. The National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) has submitted proposals to the government that would allow companies to pursue available blocks throughout the year rather than wait for periodic bidding windows.
From exploration potential to investment
The opportunities presented at AEW 2026 show how African governments are using the platform to put specific acreage, technical data, licensing deadlines and contractual terms before potential investors.
For companies assessing these markets, the next steps vary by country and licensing round, from reviewing geological data and evaluating contractual terms to meeting application deadlines and negotiating exploration agreements.
Africa Monitoring was an official media partner of African Energy Week 2026.
