Africa’s energy sector is picking up pace in 2025, with countries across the continent unveiling new oil and gas reserves, issuing exploration licenses, and ramping up offshore drilling. The Republic of Congo recently joined the movement, signing an exploration agreement with QatarEnergy for the Nzombo offshore block.
Under the production-sharing deal, QatarEnergy will hold 35%, TotalEnergies—acting as the operator—will control 50%, and the Congolese state oil company, Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, will retain 15%. The Nzombo block, located about 90 kilometers off Pointe-Noire, covers 1,053 square kilometers and reaches sea depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy CEO, called the block a “promising opportunity” and expressed optimism for a successful exploration campaign alongside the Congolese government and partners.
The Congo-Qatar deal highlights a wider African trend, as nations seek hydrocarbons to fuel economic growth and energy independence. Earlier this year, Rwanda reported its first-ever oil discovery in Lake Kivu, a milestone in its push to diversify beyond tourism, agriculture, and mining.
In Southern Africa, Namibia and South Africa are emerging as hot spots for offshore drilling. Chevron is eyeing exploratory wells in Namibia’s Walvis Basin, while TotalEnergies plans to begin offshore operations in South Africa by 2026. Namibia’s offshore regions are estimated to hold up to 30 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.
Elsewhere, Angola’s Lower Congo Basin saw a major gas find by Azule Energy, with early estimates pointing to over 1 trillion cubic feet of gas and up to 100 million barrels of condensate. Meanwhile, Benin resumed drilling at its historic Sèmè offshore field after a 27-year hiatus, led by Singapore-based Akrake Petroleum.
From Central to Southern Africa, these developments underscore the continent’s rising profile in global energy markets, attracting foreign investment while pushing for economic diversification and energy security.
