Equatorial Guinea seeks to attract global investment with its 2026 licensing round

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Equatorial Guinea will unveil the details of its highly anticipated EG 2026 Licensing Round on Monday,September 29,2025,during African Energy Week (AEW). The official launch is scheduled for 2026 and forms part of the country’s national strategy to attract investment,accelerate upstream growth,and open new offshore exploration and production opportunities.

The announcement will take place during the high-level session “Equatorial Guinea’s New Exploration Drive”,led by Antonio Oburu Ondo,Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development. The Ministry has also arranged Meeting Room Pod 4,CTICC 2,where detailed geological and technical data will be shared with potential investors.

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To prepare for the licensing round,the Ministry is collaborating with Perceptum and GeoexMCG to reprocess over 9,600 km² in the Río Muni Basin. Using Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) technology,imaging quality will be enhanced,providing investors with more precise subsurface data. In addition,UK-based Searcher Seismic will acquire and reprocess 2D and 3D seismic data in underexplored areas. These initiatives aim to deliver high-quality technical packages that reduce exploration risk and strengthen investor confidence.

The announcement comes at a pivotal time for Equatorial Guinea’s energy sector. ConocoPhillips exported its first LNG cargo from Punta Europa in June 2025 as part of the Gas Mega Hub project. Trident Energy and Kosmos Energy are advancing exploration and seismic reprocessing in Block G. Panoro Energy signed a Production Sharing Contract for Block EG-23 with GEPetrol,with preliminary studies underway. Vaalco Energy is developing Block P,which includes the Venus discovery,with first production expected in 2026 and peak output in 2028. Chevron,following its acquisition of Noble Energy,signed two PSCs for Blocks EG-06 and EG-11,committing approximately $2 billion in investment.

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GEPetrol and the government are leading a profound transformation of the hydrocarbons sector. Fiscal reforms and strategic partnerships are strengthening market competitiveness. As the national oil company,GEPetrol is spearheading new alliances,reactivating deepwater fields,and implementing operational improvements. Simultaneously,the government is reforming the fiscal regime to offer faster cost recovery and higher profit participation for investors.

“The EG 2026 Licensing Round represents a decisive milestone to maximize Equatorial Guinea’s potential. We aim to attract top global investors,drive exploration,and ensure sustainable growth through world-class fiscal frameworks,” said Minister Antonio Oburu Ondo.

With enhanced regulatory conditions,advanced seismic data,and a diverse portfolio of shallow and deepwater blocks,Equatorial Guinea is poised to enter a new era of exploration success and solidify its position as a premier energy investment hub in Africa and globally.