Angola is repositioning its oil sector strategy with a renewed push into onshore and shallow water exploration, signaling a major pivot in one of Africa’s most mature hydrocarbon markets. This shift comes amid intensified efforts to sustain national crude output above one million barrels per day, even as traditional offshore fields mature.
A focal point of this renewed ambition will be featured at the upcoming Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 conference, where a high-level panel will explore the strategic role of onshore and shallow water assets in Angola’s production landscape. The session, titled “The Role of Onshore and Shallow Water Operations in Maintaining Production,” will convene key industry voices from Sonangol E&P, Etu Energias, FIRST E&P, Alfort Petroleum and Corcel. Each has played a part in reshaping Angola’s onshore energy story or is eyeing entry into the sector.
The country’s pivot is already taking shape following the conclusion of its 2023 licensing round, which offered 12 blocks across the Lower Congo and Kwanza basins. The result has been a flurry of activity and investment, particularly through 2024 and 2025, as qualified operators—both domestic and international—begin to mobilize exploration and development programs.
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Among the headline developments, Etu Energias secured operatorship of Block CON 4 in the onshore Congo basin under a 25-year Risk Service Contract. The agreement grants five years for exploration and 20 for production, marking a long-term commitment to unlocking inland reserves. Corcel, another emerging player, expanded its footprint in Block KON 16, increasing its stake to over 71% through recent deals that set the stage for a new round of de-risking and drilling in 2026. The block had completed its data acquisition phase in 2024.
Alfort Petroleum is also deepening its onshore engagement. Having qualified as an operator in the same licensing round, the company is currently analyzing seismic data from Block KON 8 as it prepares for the next phase of its exploration campaign.
Angola’s upstream momentum is attracting new players beyond its borders as well. While FIRST E&P has yet to break ground in the country, fellow Nigerian firms have already entered Angola’s onshore space. Walcot Group, for instance, acquired full ownership and operatorship of two blocks—KON 1 and CON 3—and a minority stake in KON 13 in April 2025. Similarly, Oando Energy Resources took over operatorship of Block KON 13 earlier in the year, with promising exploratory work already revealing hydrocarbon potential across multiple formations.
The revival of Angola’s onshore exploration is being facilitated by flexible investment terms and a licensing strategy aimed at diversifying the country’s production sources. The National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) has received further proposals from international players for blocks that remained unawarded during the last licensing round, indicating robust interest in Angola’s underexplored basins.
While the country remains a major deepwater producer, these new ventures into inland and shallow coastal areas represent a strategic hedge—one that could deliver production stability, attract new investment, and extend Angola’s relevance in Africa’s upstream oil future. For a continent grappling with energy security, fiscal reliance on hydrocarbons, and a global energy transition, Angola’s efforts to unlock new reserves offer critical lessons in adaptive resource governance.
