Sierra Leone is stepping up its efforts to attract international upstream investment, showcasing its offshore oil and gas potential and upcoming licensing opportunities at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris. Sierra Leone’s Petroleum Directorate (PDSL) is preparing to launch its sixth offshore licensing round, providing access to underexplored deepwater acreage and an early-entry opportunity in a frontier basin.
The push is underpinned by recent technical work and industry interest. Sierra Leone’s estimates point to tens of billions of barrels of recoverable resources across the margin, a prospect supported by a series of discoveries and an expanding seismic library. New 3D datasets, including pre-stack time migration surveys, are expected to improve subsurface imaging, characterise plays, and lower geological risk for explorers planning shallow or deepwater drilling.
The licensing initiative coincides with rising operator activity in the basin. Eni signed a reconnaissance permit for multiple offshore blocks in 2025, while Nigeria’s F.A. Oil plans to drill across six awarded blocks and seeks a farm-in partner to progress development. PDSL is using these moves to demonstrate market interest and encourage additional commitments ahead of the bid round.
PDSL officials will present fiscal terms, regulatory framework details, and development timelines at the Paris forum to attract capital and accelerate exploration and appraisal work. Sierra Leone is positioned as a competitive offshore jurisdiction in West Africa, highlighting its proximity to established producing provinces and the scarcity of fresh, high-potential frontier acreage in the region.
Sierra Leone’s upstream sector is gaining momentum, thanks to newly available seismic data, a planned licensing timeline, and increased operator engagement. The upcoming licensing round will assess investor interest in early-stage deepwater opportunities with high potential resource volumes but technical and commercial risks to manage.
