Senegal to Offer 109 Oil and Gas Blocks to Investors
Senegal plans to put 109 of its 113 offshore and onshore oil and gas blocks up for sale to local and foreign investors, Energy and Petroleum Minister El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf said on a local TV channel, a statement carried by Reuters. Only four blocks are currently under contract, and the government is promoting the move as part of a wider push to develop a domestic energy sector.
Why It Matters
Opening most of the country's licensing acreage could attract investment into Senegal's nascent petroleum industry after recent offshore discoveries and first commercial oil and gas production. The sales are tied to a presidential goal of building local leadership in energy, which may shape how revenue and capacity develop domestically.
Key Facts
- Blocks available: 109 out of 113 oil and gas blocks to be offered
- Currently contracted: 4 blocks
- Announcing official: Energy and Petroleum Minister El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf
- Announcement media: Local TV channel; report carried by Reuters
- First oil project start: Senegal's first oil project began production in 2024 (Sangomar)
Senegal’s government has announced plans to offer 109 of its 113 oil and gas blocks to investors, Energy and Petroleum Minister El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf said on a local television appearance, a statement relayed by Reuters. According to the minister, only four blocks are currently under contract, leaving the vast majority of the country's acreage available for licensing.
Diouf said the move is consistent with the president’s strategy to foster domestic leadership in the energy, oil and gas sectors, and that the available blocks will be open to both local and foreign investors. Opening the blocks to the market is intended to accelerate exploration and development activity across Senegal’s offshore and onshore basins.
The policy comes after a wave of offshore discoveries that have jump-started Senegal’s petroleum industry in recent years. Woodside Energy achieved first oil at the Sangomar field in June 2024, delivering the country’s inaugural commercial oil production. The Sangomar Field Development Phase 1 uses a deepwater floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel with a nameplate capacity of 100,000 barrels per day and includes subsea infrastructure designed to support later development phases.
Gas development has also advanced: BP operated the first LNG export cargo from Phase 1 of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project, a cross-border development offshore Mauritania and Senegal. Phase 1 at Greater Tortue Ahmeyim is slated to produce roughly 2.3 million tonnes of LNG annually and is expected to operate for more than two decades. Together, these projects helped drive a record high in Senegal’s economic growth after the start-up of commercial oil production and the commencement of LNG exports.
With most blocks still uncontracted, Senegal is signaling a significant opportunity for investors and an accelerated push to build local capacity in the sector. How quickly companies respond and the terms of future licenses will shape the next phase of the country’s energy development.
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