The African Energy Commission (AFREC) has concluded a major regional workshop in Entebbe, Uganda, aimed at validating a comprehensive study on expanding domestic oil and gas markets across Eastern Africa. The two-day event, held from 13 – 14 May 2025, brought together stakeholders from nine Eastern African countries to finalise findings and chart a path forward for energy sector development.
The Eastern Africa study marked the first of a continent-wide initiative covering all five African Union regions, aligning with goals under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade and energy security. The Eastern African phase reviewed energy potential and market dynamics across 15 countries that included Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Other countries were Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
AFREC’s, Head of Energy Policy, Planning and Support, Mr. Yagouba Traore, praised regional partners for their collaboration, calling their input “critical to the success of the study.”
Senior Policy Officer, in charge of Oil and Gas, and project lead, Mr Felix Bob Ocitti emphasised that the validation workshop marks a milestone – not the end – of regional engagement. “Our next challenge is implementation, which requires continued cooperation and political will to realise tangible benefits for the region,” Ocitti said.
The key findings from the report include:
- Eastern Africa holds an estimated 4.7 billion barrels of oil reserves and over 70 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.
- Despite this potential, the region remains a net importer of oil products.
- Only 5% of product demand is currently met by local refining, with Tanzania and Rwanda being the only countries able to meet their domestic gas needs.
The report identifies several priority actions, including scaling up exploration, commercialising contingent resources, expanding underutilised refining capacity, and attracting investments in the sector among others. These measures are deemed vital to reducing import dependency and achieving energy self-sufficiency in the medium to long term.
The finalised report is set for official launch during the Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2025, to be held from 15 – 19 September, in Accra Ghana.
AFREC reiterated its commitment to guiding African Union Member States in formulating actionable energy strategies and supporting integration of oil, natural gas and products markets with renewable energy initiatives.
For more information, please contact:
Executive Director | African Energy Commission (AFREC) | African Union |
email: afrec@africaunion.org | Tel: +213 23 45 9198 | https://www.au-afrec.org | Algiers | Algeria | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn
George Sichinga | Communication Officer | African Energy Commission (AFREC) | African Union | Email: Sichingag@africa-union.org | Tel: +213 23 45 9198 | https://www.au-afrec.org | Algiers | Algeria | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn