Petroleum Directorate to Unveil Major Offshore Investment Opportunity at IAE Forum

The Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone is set to showcase a major offshore investment opportunity at the 2026 Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris, scheduled for April 22–23, 2026. The event will mark the official launch of Sierra Leone’s 6th Offshore Licensing Round, aimed at attracting global capital and top-tier energy operators.

Director General Foday Mansaray will lead a strategic investor roundtable to connect international investors with Sierra Leone’s vast and underexplored deepwater acreage. Recent geological surveys and high-resolution 3D seismic reprocessing have significantly “de-risked” the basin, with recoverable resources estimated in the tens of billions of barrels.

Officials say the 6th Licensing Round offers a rare “early-entry” opportunity for investors to secure blocks in a proven hydrocarbon system ready for active drilling. Key highlights at the Paris forum will include:

Strategic Investor Roundtables: Direct engagement between Sierra Leonean policymakers and global project developers.

Presentation of New Technical Data: Fresh seismic datasets revealing the scale of the “Vega” prospect and other high-potential areas.

Resumption of Offshore Drilling: Confirmation that drilling is set to restart by the end of 2026, marking the first campaign in nearly a decade.

A PDSL spokesperson stated, “Sierra Leone is no longer just a ‘potential’ market; we are a frontier energy hotspot. The Paris forum provides the platform to connect our natural resources with the expertise and investment needed to unlock them.”

With major players such as Eni already securing reconnaissance permits and FA Oil advancing drilling plans, the 6th Licensing Round is expected to be one of the most competitive in the region’s history. By choosing the IAE Forum in Paris, Sierra Leone positions itself alongside emerging African energy leaders like Senegal and Namibia, demonstrating a commitment to transparent and high-standard regulatory frameworks designed to attract “blue-chip” energy companies.