“We are trying to build a better exploration strategy for our onshore blocks. We have gone to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and received an onshore block as GNPC’s own [asset]. To de-risk what is there, we need to collect data. This will help boost investor confidence. We are building a data room with structured and controlled access and are also looking at above-ground regulations. With that, we hope to attract investors,” Njie stated.

The GNPC’s strategy coincides with a broader regional drive to advance exploration and production. The launch of the Sangomar and Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) developments in 2024 and 2025 signaled the start of a new era for the region, but now, nations are looking towards the next phase of regional energy development.

Within this scenario, independent oil and gas producers stand to play a central role. Mathios Rigas, CEO, Energean, highlighted during the conference that independents are able to develop smaller-scale projects, specifically those not suitable for the majors. He explained that, “When you’re looking at smaller scale projects, you need a different scale operator. In West Africa, there is a lot of discovered and undeveloped resources, simply because the majors don’t have the interest in smaller projects. We are here because we believe there is a role that independents can play.”

As nations look to attract new sources of financing, leadership is expected to become a cornerstone of future development. According to Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, CEO & Founder, Bioko Consulting and Former Minister of Mines & Hydrocarbons, Equatorial Guinea, “Leadership is about clear vision and execution. It is not about reinventing the wheel: it’s about putting the wheels together. One of the wheels is about regional synchronization. Another wheel is about benchmarking what other African countries have done, while another is about historical information and data.” 

Across the broader West African energy landscape, oil-rich nations have been highly effective in attracting the requisite capital to advance oil and gas projects - specifically capital-intensive developments such as pipelines. Niger was able to secure a partner to develop a pipeline connecting the country to international markets via Benin.

According to Kabirou Zakari Oumarou, Former Managing Director of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum, Niger, this was due to several reasons, including “implementing exceptional fiscal measures which made the investment profitable for our partner. The second reason involved legal and legislative actions and the third was administration. These combined measures allowed us to move quickly and bring the project to completion.”

Service providers such as MODEC are already supporting the next phase of the MSGBC region’s energy development. The company supported the development of the Sangomar oilfield project, which came online in 2024 and has delivered 50 million barrels to date. According to Malcolm Watson, Country Manager and Managing Director, MODEC Senegal, given the fact that Senegal is an emerging oil producer, “there was very little infrastructure available to support an FPSO.”

However, the company has been investing in local content and capacity building under efforts to develop a reliable supply chain for its FPSO operations. Watson explained that, “We are building, from the start, the capacity for the future. When there are second and third developments in the country, we are already building that capacity.”