CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Liberia has launched its 2026 oil and gas licensing round, offering 29 offshore blocks for direct negotiations as the West African country seeks to attract international energy companies and expand petroleum exploration.

The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced the launch on Wednesday during an energy conference in Cape Town, presenting opportunities across the Liberia and Harper basins. The initiative is aimed at drawing investment into the country’s offshore petroleum sector, although Liberia currently has no commercial oil production.

The licensing round follows renewed interest in Liberia’s offshore potential and efforts to secure partnerships with international exploration companies. The available blocks are intended to give prospective investors opportunities to assess geological prospects and negotiate agreements with the government.

Liberia’s previous licensing round in 2024 resulted in eight production-sharing contracts. French energy company TotalEnergies secured four blocks, while Nigeria’s Oranto Petroleum obtained another four, reflecting international interest in the country’s exploration prospects.

The Harper Basin is among the areas being promoted to investors because of geological similarities with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, where Italian energy company Eni has discovered the Baleine and Calao oil and gas fields. Liberia’s regulator believes these similarities could strengthen interest in further exploration along the West African coast.

Despite the renewed interest, Liberia has yet to establish a commercially producing oil industry. The success of the licensing round will depend on whether companies commit resources to exploration and whether any discoveries prove commercially viable.

The government is seeking to use the licensing process to attract investment and develop its upstream petroleum sector. The outcome could shape Liberia’s future energy prospects, although exploration carries significant financial and geological risks.

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