CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Amidst a recent surge of exploratory drilling in Africa, Africa Oil Week is organizing once again a Prospects Forum to offer a platform that will showcase some of the most attractive farm-in and exploration opportunities on the continent. The Prospects Forum will be moderated and animated by African investment and commodities research agency Hawilti (www.hawilti.com).

By working together, Africa Oil Week and Hawilti have lined up a series of world-class assets across onshore, shallow water, and deep-water areas in Nigeria, Cameroon, Morocco, Namibia, and the Comoros. The Prospects Forum will once again support deal-making for African and global operators and help unlock additional exploration and development potential on the continent.

This year’s edition takes place as Africa makes a huge comeback on the global exploration stage following world-class discoveries in Côte d'Ivoire and Namibia notably. Recent exploration in these frontier markets has demonstrated once again that betting on African exploration is a game worth the risk.

“Despite a few deceptions, 2022 remains an exceptional year for African exploration, especially in new hotspots like the Orange Basin and the Cabora Bassa Basin, but also in established jurisdictions,” said Mickael Vogel, Director & Head of Research at Hawilti, who will be moderating this year’s Prospects Forum.  

Nigerian assets will feature prominently as Nigerian independents such as Asharami Energy, Oando Energy Resources, and Platform Petroleum pitch their opportunities within Africa’s largest brownfield market. Nigeria has completely overhauled its regulatory regime last year with the adoption of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and market activity is currently picking up there.

Onshore assets will also be presented, especially in markets where exploration has recently delivered some strong successes. Genel Energy will notably be presenting a farm-in opportunity on its Lagzira Block in Morocco, while Monitor Exploration will share details on the potential of the Owambo Basin onshore Namibia.

This year’s Prospects Forum will be exclusively driven by independents, with Discover Exploration and Tower Resources also joining the list of presenters to promote attractive offshore assets in Cameroon and the Comoros.

By tapping into current industry momentum, the Forum will once again seek to forge new partnerships and attract top explorers and investors into African opportunities.