Eni expands West Africa footprint with first-ever oil exploration deal in Gambia

Italian energy major Eni has entered Gambia’s upstream oil and gas sector for the first time after securing an offshore exploration licence in a move that expands its footprint across one of Africa’s fastest-growing energy regions.

• Italian energy giant Eni has entered Gambia’s oil and gas sector after securing an offshore exploration licence for the deepwater A1 block.
• The move expands Eni’s presence in the fast-growing MSGBC Basin, where major discoveries in Senegal and Mauritania have boosted investor interest.
• The A1 block was previously abandoned by operators including BP, with no commercial discoveries made so far.
• Gambia hopes Eni’s entry will help determine whether its offshore waters contain commercially viable oil and gas reserves.

The company signed a petroleum exploration, development and production licence agreement with the Gambian government on June 5 for Block A1, a deepwater offshore acreage covering about 1,300 square kilometres.

The agreement was signed by Gambia’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Nani Juwara, and gives Eni rights to explore an area located in water depths ranging from 1,250 metres to 3,300 metres.

Eni said the block lies within a section of the Atlantic Margin where significant hydrocarbon discoveries have already been made and described the award as part of its strategy to build a geographically diversified exploration portfolio spanning proven, emerging and frontier basins.

The deal marks Eni’s first entry into Gambia and gives the country a new opportunity to assess its offshore petroleum potential after years of unsuccessful attempts to advance exploration activities in the block.

Abandoned block

The A1 block has a long history of failed exploration efforts.

The acreage was previously held by African Petroleum Corporation before the Gambian government revoked the company’s licence in 2017 over what authorities said were unmet contractual obligations.

BP later acquired rights to the block but exited in 2021 without drilling an exploration well. The British energy giant subsequently reached a settlement with the Gambian government relating to outstanding commitments under the licence.

Following BP’s departure, the government reopened the acreage for bidding and later selected Eni as the preferred operator.

Officials have stressed that the agreement should not be interpreted as a discovery announcement but as a fresh attempt to determine whether commercially recoverable oil and gas resources exist in Gambian waters.

Cany Jobe, director-general of the Gambia Petroleum Commission, described the signing as the beginning of a new phase in assessing the country’s offshore petroleum potential.

Regional discoveries

Eni’s arrival comes as the wider MSGBC Basin continues to attract growing attention from global energy companies.

The basin, which spans Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, has emerged as one of Africa’s most promising offshore petroleum regions following major discoveries and project developments in recent years.

Neighbouring Senegal began oil production from the Sangomar field in June 2024, becoming one of Africa’s newest oil-producing nations.

Meanwhile, the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project on the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania exported its first liquefied natural gas cargo in 2025, positioning both countries among the continent’s emerging gas exporters.

The success of those projects has strengthened confidence in the geological potential of the broader basin, although industry experts note that discoveries in neighbouring countries do not guarantee exploration success elsewhere.

Eni’s Africa strategy

The Gambian licence forms part of Eni’s wider expansion across Africa.

The Italian company remains one of the continent’s largest foreign energy investors, with operations across North, West and Central Africa. Eni reported hydrocarbon production of about 1.73 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025.

The company has been responsible for several significant discoveries and developments across the continent, including Egypt’s Zohr gas field and Ivory Coast’s Baleine field.

In recent years, Eni has increasingly targeted frontier and underexplored areas in West Africa as it seeks new exploration opportunities and long-term resource growth.

The company also signed offshore agreements in Sierra Leone in 2025, highlighting its growing interest in the Atlantic coast region.

Before production

Despite the optimism surrounding the agreement, commercial production remains years away, if hydrocarbons are found at all.

Eni must first conduct exploration studies and evaluate drilling prospects before determining whether the block contains commercially viable oil or gas resources.

Deepwater exploration remains one of the most technically challenging and expensive areas of the energy industry, with no guarantee that drilling will result in a commercial discovery.

Nevertheless, Eni’s decision to enter Gambia provides one of the strongest endorsements yet of the country’s offshore potential and gives the government a new opportunity to test whether the geological success seen in neighbouring Senegal and Mauritania extends into its own waters.