A West Africa-focused roundtable will highlight the countries of Senegal, Guinea-Conakry, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 forum, as the region continues to drive dynamic new developments in frontier oil and gas exploration, gas-to-power, and LNG trade and distribution.

The two-day forum, taking place on May 14-15, 2024, in Paris, is known for its unique regional focus, showcasing projects seeking capital, technology, and services to global investors. As West Africa evolves into a global energy powerhouse, the session will explore each country’s respective government strategy in both traditional and renewable energy domains, as well as unpack the latest exploration and development progress across the MSGBC region.

Panelists at the event include Amadou Doumbouya, Managing Director of Société Nationale des Pétroles (SONAP); Foday Mansaray, Director-General of the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone; Baboucarr Njie, Managing Director of the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC); and Thierno Seydou Ly, Director-General of Petrosen. The session will be moderated by Silvia Macri, Associate Director, Africa and Middle East Power & Renewables – Climate and Sustainability at S&P Global Commodity Insights.

The Gambia is promoting its offshore basin potential for play-opening discoveries, including the Bambo prospect that could hold up to 1.2 billion barrels of oil. Sierra Leone is also looking to attract investors to its frontier acreage, supported by extensive 2D and 3D multi-client data.

Senegal stands out in the region for its diversified energy approach, with two megaprojects set to produce first oil and gas in 2024. The country balances fossil fuel development with large-scale renewable expansion and is leading bold gas-to-power initiatives.

Guinea-Conakry is finalizing the bidding terms of a 22-block licensing round, with five prospect wells drilled to date. The country is seeking to improve its offshore geological understanding and facilitate investor access to seismic data. Guinea-Conakry is also spearheading the development of a full-service LNG receiving terminal, liquefaction plant, and export terminal at the Port of Kamsar.

The West African region presents partnership and investment opportunities across frontier exploration, gas-to-power, and LNG distribution, which will be discussed at the upcoming roundtable session.