Upcoming ops in Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, and Libya mark oil & gas drilling hotspots across Africa

While the hydrocarbon search is set to continue around the globe to ensure energy security, certain oil and gas prospects and drilling activities tend to attract more attention. Bearing this in mind, African Energy Chamber (AEC), which serves as the voice of the energy sector in Africa, has shed more light on the ongoing and anticipated high-impact drilling campaigns in Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, and Libya.

Several oil and gas exploration programs are perceived to be poised to shape Africa’s energy future in 2025, unlocking not only economic growth but also energy security. African Energy Chamber pinpoints TotalEnergies’ Venus appraisal activities off the coast of Namibia as one of the more significant hydrocarbon plays that will be pursued this year.  

While the French oil major recently put off a final investment decision (FID) for the Venus development in the Orange Basin until 2026, it is stepping up its appraisal game in Namibia’s Block 2913B, with more drilling and well testing on the 2025 agenda to assist in confirming reserve estimates and development planning. If the firm establishes commercial viability, the Venus project has the potential to bring new investment in infrastructure and production facilities.

NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of AEC, underlined: “Oil and gas is the lifeblood of our civilization, therefore exploration is the arteries and veins. We need to continue promoting policies that can fast-track exploration. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) will continue working with governments and the oil companies to attract foreign investment, streamline project implementation, and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.”

The exploration efforts being undertaken by Azule Energy, a joint venture between BP and Eni, in Angola entail plans to drill multiple offshore wells in 2025 across deepwater blocks, focusing on high-potential prospects in the Lower Congo and Kwanza Basins. This aligns with the country’s goal of securing more investment and maintaining output amid maturing fields by identifying new reserves and extending the country’s production horizon.

The deepwater drilling activities Africa Oil is progressing in Nigeria encapsulate works related to the Akpo and Egina fields in the aftermath of the infill production well at Akpo. The 2024 seismic acquisition at the Agbami field is being evaluated ahead of a drilling campaign in 2026 to bolster hydrocarbon production and resource recovery in Nigerian waters.

African Energy Chamber has also highlighted Eni’s Sirte Basin program in Libya as one of the drilling campaigns to watch out for during 2025 once the Italian oil major gets down to drilling new offshore wells in the Mediterranean. The firm has four exploration wells in its 2025 pipeline, which entails an offshore drilling campaign in the Sirte Basin by year-end.

Eni recently tasked China’s Hilong with the second phase of the offshore transportation and installation works for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in another African country.

Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea has set its cap on a new oil and gas licensing round to boost oil and gas offshore exploration and production activities.