Uche Cecil Izuora
Egypt has announced the opening of a new international licensing round for oil and natural gas exploration, putting 14 onshore and offshore areas on offer as the government steps up efforts to attract upstream investment and increase domestic hydrocarbon production.
Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi announced the 2026 bid round during a meeting with executives of international oil companies operating in Egypt. The discussions focused on current exploration and production activities, planned field development programmes and opportunities to expand output over the next five years.
The latest licensing round covers acreage in several of Egypt’s key oil and gas regions. Eight exploration blocks are being offered by the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) in the Mediterranean, Nile Delta and North Sinai. Companies interested in the EGAS blocks have until noon on December 11, 2026, Cairo time, to submit their bids.
A further six areas are being offered by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) in the Gulf of Suez, Sinai and the Western Desert.
The deadline for submissions for these blocks is noon on November 11, 2026.
Egypt is conducting the licensing process electronically through the Egypt Upstream Gateway, with the acreage being offered under production-sharing agreements.
The digital platform will provide prospective investors with geological and technical information, manage enquiries and facilitate the submission and evaluation of bids.
The government is positioning the new acreage as an opportunity for both established operators and companies seeking to enter Egypt’s upstream market. Several of the blocks are located close to existing producing fields and oil and gas infrastructure, including pipelines, processing facilities and export terminals.
According to Badawi, the proximity of the exploration areas to existing infrastructure could lower development costs and shorten the time required to bring commercially viable discoveries into production. This is particularly important as Egypt seeks to accelerate new projects and strengthen domestic supply.
The blocks also offer a mix of offshore and onshore geological prospects, giving investors exposure to different exploration opportunities.
Authorities expect the round to encourage international companies already active in Egypt to increase their commitments while attracting new players to the country’s oil and gas sector.
The 2026 licensing round is part of Egypt’s wider strategy to stimulate exploration, secure new hydrocarbon reserves and support higher production over the coming years.
By combining new acreage with established infrastructure, the government is seeking to make exploration investments more commercially attractive and accelerate the development of successful discoveries.
Oriental News Nigeria reports that earlier this year Nigeria, announced its 2026 licensing round as the country seeks to reverse decades of underinvestment across Africa’s upstream market. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) opened the new tender round for January, offering a diverse portfolio of 50 oil and gas blocks.
The blocks include; 19 shallow-water blocks, 15 onshore blocks, 15 frontier blocks, and one deepwater block. The federal government aims to attract more than $10 billion in upstream investment, revitalize dormant assets, and boost national production.
The initiative comes amid improving security and operational conditions in the sector. Nigeria’s crude oil losses fell to 9,600 barrels per day in July last year, the lowest level recorded in 16 years. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, average daily crude oil production reached 1.64 million barrels per day in the third quarter of last year.
Authorities are also targeting long-underutilized oil blocks that have remained undeveloped due to regulatory uncertainty and infrastructure challenges. The new licensing round is anchored in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which provides a clearer contractual and fiscal framework designed to improve investor confidence and reduce reliance on imported energy.
Momentum in the upstream sector has been reinforced by the start of operations at the Dangote Refinery, which is expected to drive increased demand for domestic crude supply and support higher upstream activity.
Nigeria, like many African nations, holds vast untapped oil and gas reserves. With frontier basins across the continent expected to attract renewed interest this year, policymakers see the licensing round as a critical step in restoring Nigeria’s position as a leading upstream destination.