By Ajong Mbapndah L *
Sierra Leone’s energy story is no longer one of quiet potential—it is now a narrative of acceleration, credibility, and global re-entry. In 2025, under the leadership of Foday Mansaray and with strong political backing from President Julius Maada Bio, the Petroleum Directorate transformed the country from a dormant frontier into one of West Africa’s most talked-about emerging basins. With new seismic momentum, restored investor confidence, modernised licensing frameworks, and the historic entrance of Eni—one of the world’s most respected supermajors—Sierra Leone reclaimed its position on the global exploration map.
This was the year the basin became scientifically de-risked, diplomatically visible, and internationally validated. A year when policy discipline and technical breakthroughs aligned. A year when global players who once watched from a distance began stepping forward.
For the Petroleum Directorate, and for Sierra Leone, 2025 was not merely productive—it was transformational. The foundations for a new energy chapter are now firmly in place, and 2026 promises to convert momentum into investment, exploration, and long-term national value.
To understand how this transformation unfolded—and what the next chapter holds—Pan African Visions sat down for an exclusive interview with PDSL Director Foday Mansaray, who sheds light on the year’s biggest breakthroughs, the Eni deal, and where Sierra Leone’s energy future is headed next.
Looking back at 2025, how would you sum up the year for the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone and what, in your view, were the defining milestones, turning points, and achievements that shaped Sierra Leone’s energy narrative ?
2025 was a defining year for the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone, marked by renewed global interest in the basin, major technical breakthroughs, stronger legal frameworks, and strengthened energy security. The year’s biggest milestones included:
- The Year Sierra Leone Re-opened as a Competitive Frontier Basin. Enhanced Global Visibility, Credibility & Investor Engagement,2025 positioned Sierra Leone back on the global energy radar with deliberate diplomacy and data-driven marketing:
- Showcasing at Africa Energy Week (AEW) 2025 and Invest in African Energy in Paris, marking PDSL’s strongest presence ever.
- Executive-level engagements with majors and credible IOCs and independents, including Eni S.p.A. and other companies now in advanced block-level discussions.
- A surge in data requests, basin studies, and investor enquiries, showing renewed confidence in the country as a frontier exploration jurisdiction.
These efforts repositioned Sierra Leone as an open-for-business, stable, data-rich, policy-sound exploration hub.
- A Breakthrough Year for Basin Knowledge & Seismic Momentum. The Most Important Technical Leap Since the 2012 Bid Round. 2025 was anchored by unprecedented progress on subsurface understanding:
- Operationalisation of the FA-Oil-GeoPartners-BGP Prospector 3D broadband seismic campaign in the north-western segment of our offshore basin, aimed at acquiring high-resolution 3D seismic data across the acreage of F.A. Oil Limited.
- Integration of PVE Consulting’s basin-wide prospectivity study, upgrading resource estimates and identifying over 30+ billion barrels of unrisked recoverable resources in priority structures.
- Strengthened partnerships with TGS and GeoPartners, aligning legacy 2D/3D datasets with new imaging and reprocessing initiatives.
- Initiation of Sierra Leone’s first national subsurface integration framework, ensuring seamless access to datasets for future IOCs.
These achievements elevated the country to a scientifically de-risked and globally bankable basin.
- Strongest Year Yet for Policy, Licensing & Legal Frameworks. A Modernised Licensing Architecture to Protect the Republic’s Interests, 2025 saw major progress in regulatory excellence:
- Finalisation and issuance of new Petroleum Licence Agreement (PLA) and Reconnaissance Permit Agreement (RPA) templates with clear work commitments, exclusivity windows, and Right-of-First-Refusal provisions.
- Revision of Exploration & Production Licence (EPL) models, strengthening fiscal clarity and compliance requirements.
- Drafting of the Hydrocarbon Master Plan to support the President’s energy security pillars.
The Directorate emerged as one of the most professionally structured regulatory agencies in West Africa.
- Regional Diplomacy, Integration & West African Energy Corridors. 2025 as the Year Sierra Leone Became a Recognised Regional Energy Voice. PDSL represented Sierra Leone across Africa and beyond:
- Strong participation in the WA7-JS Outer Limits Continental Shelf workshops in Praia.
- Reinforced ties with GNPC Ghana, ONHYM Morocco, and ANPG Angola.
- Deepened engagement in the Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, positioning Sierra Leone as a future node for regional gas flows.
- Active presence at the 9th OPEC Seminar, Africa Energy Week, Invest in African Energy in Paris, Russian Energy Week and multilateral energy diplomacy platforms.
- Sierra Leone formally attained membership in the International Energy Forum, strengthening its engagement within the global energy governance community.
This elevated Sierra Leone’s geopolitical footprint and established Sierra Leone as a recognised continental energy voice.
- A Year of High-Level Presidential Mandates & National Alignment. Perhaps the most defining catalyst of 2025 was the unwavering political backing from His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio:
- Clear Presidential directives to accelerate exploration.
- Mandate to operationalise the National Oil Company, Sierra Leone National Petroleum Company (SLNPC) Ltd.
- Strategic instruction to secure national fuel stability.
This alignment between the Presidency and the Directorate gave the year its momentum and national significance.
The Eni Reconnaissance Permit Agreement has been described as a “historic inflection point” for Sierra Leone. Can you walk us through how this deal came about and what made Eni choose Sierra Leone at this moment?
This deal came about through deliberate, sustained engagement between the Petroleum Directorate and Eni’s senior leadership over several months. As we advanced new basin prospectivity studies, updated our regulatory frameworks, and strengthened our seismic data offering, we created the type of transparent and technically credible environment that major companies like Eni look for.
At the same time, Sierra Leone’s decision to modernise its Reconnaissance Permit model, introducing clear data-access provisions, defined work programmes, and strong compliance architecture, sent a clear message to the industry that we were serious about attracting top-tier explorers.
Eni ultimately chose Sierra Leone at this moment for three key reasons:
- Improved geological confidence. New 2D/3D seismic products and independent basin studies significantly upgraded the perceived potential of our deepwater plays, aligning well with Eni’s global exploration strategy.
- A stable, investor-friendly regulatory environment. Our modernised licensing frameworks, transparency commitments, and strengthened governance provided assurance of a predictable operating environment.
- High-level political commitment. The strong backing from His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, particularly the directive to accelerate exploration and unlock new partnerships, demonstrated that Sierra Leone is fully committed to developing its offshore resources responsibly.
In combination, these factors created the right environment for Eni to re-engage with Sierra Leone. Their decision reflects both confidence in the quality of our basin and recognition of the Directorate’s efforts to rebuild credibility, deepen technical knowledge, and position the country as one of West Africa’s most promising frontier markets.
This Agreement is not just a deal; it is a signal, a statement that Sierra Leone is back on the global exploration map, and global players are taking notice.
From a technical standpoint, what exactly will Eni be doing across Offshore Blocks G-113, G-129, G-130, G-131, and G-132? What studies, timelines, and deliverables should Sierra Leoneans and investors expect from this reconnaissance phase?
Eni’s work in Offshore Blocks G-113, G-129, G-130, G-131 and G-132 will focus on building a clearer scientific picture of Sierra Leone’s deepwater potential. This phase does not involve drilling; instead, it is about gathering the technical evidence needed before any major investment decisions are made.
What will Eni do?
- Re-analyse all existing 2D and 3D seismic data.
- Study the geology, structure, and petroleum systems of the basin.
- Identify and rank potential leads and prospects.
- Estimate possible hydrocarbon volumes.
Timeline:
- The reconnaissance work will run for about 24 months, with studies carried out in stages, starting with data review, followed by detailed interpretation, and finishing with integrated results.
What will Eni deliver?
- A full technical report on the potential of the five blocks.
- Updated maps, leads, and prospect outlines.
- Resource estimates and recommendations for next steps.
- A decision on whether to move into a full Exploration & Production Licence.
In simple terms, this phase gives Sierra Leone and investors a much clearer, science-based understanding of what may lie beneath our offshore waters and whether the next step is drilling.
You mentioned that Eni’s entry reflects confidence in Sierra Leone’s stability and regulatory integrity. What specific reforms, governance practices, or institutional improvements helped make this deal possible?
Eni’s decision to enter Sierra Leone was largely driven by the governance and regulatory improvements made over the past year. Several reforms helped create the stability and confidence needed for this agreement.
Key improvements included:
- Updated licensing frameworks with clearer rules, work obligations, and transparent processes.
- Stronger governance and oversight, including better auditing, contract management, and predictable decision timelines.
- Improved technical data quality, with new seismic studies and better-organised national datasets.
- Enhanced institutional capacity at the Petroleum Directorate through new experts, upgraded systems, and modern technical tools.
- Consistent political backing from the Government and the President for a transparent, rules-based sector.
Together, these steps demonstrated that Sierra Leone is a stable, credible, and well-governed place to invest, making Eni’s entry both strategic and timely.
What does this agreement signal to other global energy investors who are watching Sierra Leone closely? Is this the beginning of a broader wave of upstream interest?
This agreement sends a powerful signal to the global energy industry: Sierra Leone is back on the exploration map, and serious players are now taking notice.
Eni’s entry as a supermajor with strict internal standards is a strong third-party validation of the country’s geology, regulatory stability, and investment climate. When a company of Eni’s stature commits resources, other operators pay close attention.
For investors, this signals three things:
- The basin is technically compelling and merits renewed evaluation.
- The regulatory environment is predictable, transparent, and professionally managed.
- Sierra Leone is open for business and ready to support responsible exploration.
Yes, this is likely the beginning of a broader wave of upstream interest.
Already, several companies have increased data enquiries, requested meetings, and begun reevaluating acreage positions following Eni’s announcement.
In simple terms, Eni’s move reduces perceived risk, raises confidence across the industry, and opens the door for more companies to enter Sierra Leone’s upstream sector in 2025 and beyond.
2025 also saw PDSL engaging in multiple international energy forums, roadshows, and investor missions. Which events were most strategic this year, and how did they contribute to securing partnerships like the one with Eni?
In 2025, PDSL focused on a few strategic international events that directly helped build momentum for partnerships like the Eni agreement.
Most impactful were:
- Africa Energy Week (AEW 2025): Our strongest platform for engaging senior executives, showcasing new seismic insights, and presenting Sierra Leone’s improved regulatory framework.
- Invest in African Energy (IAE 2025): A targeted setting for one-on-one investor engagements and technical briefings that helped deepen interest in Sierra Leone’s offshore potential.
Together, these engagements increased visibility, strengthened investor confidence, and created the relationship-building environment that helped secure the Eni deal and expand broader upstream interest.
Collaboration has been central to PDSL’s progress — from TGS on seismic data to Africa Energy Partners and the African Energy Chamber. How important were these partners in shaping Sierra Leone’s investment attractiveness in 2025?
These partnerships were extremely important in strengthening Sierra Leone’s investment attractiveness in 2025. Working with organisations like TGS, GeoPartners, Africa Energy Partners, and the African Energy Chamber helped PDSL improve data quality, expand global visibility, and build stronger investor confidence.
- TGS enhanced our basin’s technical understanding through the reprocessing of the Fusion 3D dataset, delivering high-quality, investor-grade seismic data.
- GeoPartners supported the new 3D acquisition over F.A. Oil’s acreage and led the promotion and interpretation of key seismic datasets, helping to clearly showcase Sierra Leone’s offshore potential.
- Africa Energy Partners led targeted investor outreach and positioned Sierra Leone as a credible frontier exploration market.
- The African Energy Chamber amplified our message globally and facilitated connections with high-level industry decision-makers.
Together, these partners played a major role in elevating Sierra Leone’s profile and attracting interest from companies like Eni and other upstream investors.
President Julius Maada Bio has been praised for providing strong political backing to the sector. How has he supported PDSL’s work, and why is his role critical in building investor confidence?
His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio’s leadership has been central to rebuilding confidence in Sierra Leone’s petroleum sector. His clear directives to accelerate exploration, modernise governance, and strengthen energy security gave PDSL the political backing needed to engage credibly with global investors.
He has supported PDSL by:
- Championing transparency and regulatory stability.
- Approving key reforms that modernised licensing and compliance systems.
- Engaging directly with international partners and signalling that Sierra Leone is ready for responsible investment.
- Providing unwavering support for seismic acquisition, basin studies, and the reactivation of upstream activity.
His role is critical because major investors look for strong, stable, and committed political leadership before entering a frontier market. President Bio’s consistent support reassures companies like Eni that Sierra Leone offers policy continuity, institutional reliability, and a long-term vision, creating the confidence necessary for significant upstream investment.
Beyond the Eni agreement, what other partnerships, data initiatives, or operational improvements did PDSL undertake this year to strengthen the sector’s foundations?
Beyond the Eni agreement, PDSL made several important moves in 2025 to strengthen the sector’s foundations. These included:
- Launching the F.A. Oil-GeoPartners-BGP Prospector 3D seismic campaign to acquire new high-resolution data in the north-west of the basin.
- Advancing major data upgrades through TGS’s Fusion 3D reprocessing.
- Deepening investor outreach through Africa Energy Partners and the African Energy Chamber, expanding Sierra Leone’s visibility globally.
- Enhancing governance and licensing frameworks to ensure transparency, stability, and investor confidence.
Together, these initiatives significantly improved the technical, institutional, and operational readiness of Sierra Leone’s petroleum sector.
Looking forward to 2026, what should Sierra Leoneans and investors expect next-any potential drilling campaigns, new licensing opportunities, basin re-evaluations, or further international partnerships on the horizon?
In 2026, Sierra Leoneans and investors can expect a year of strong momentum as the sector moves from evaluation toward potential exploration activity.
Key developments likely on the horizon include:
- Possible drilling decisions, depending on the outcomes of ongoing reconnaissance and seismic work.
- New licensing opportunities, as improved data packages and updated frameworks, attract additional upstream interest.
- Further basin re-evaluations, integrating the new F.A.Oil-GeoPartner-BGP 3D data, TGS reprocessing, and Eni’s technical findings.
- Expanded international partnerships, with more companies expected to enter discussions following the confidence boost created in 2025.
Overall, 2026 will be about converting the progress made this year into concrete exploration commitments, new investments, and deeper global engagement
As Sierra Leone positions itself as a stable, transparent frontier market, what message do you have for potential investors who are evaluating opportunities in West Africa’s emerging basins?
Sierra Leone’s message to investors is simple: this is the right time to enter a stable, transparent, and fast-emerging frontier market. We have strengthened our governance, improved our data quality, modernised our licensing systems, and demonstrated that serious international partners are already taking notice.
For investors evaluating West Africa’s new basins, Sierra Leone offers:
- A de-risked geological story supported by new and reprocessed seismic and basin studies.
- A predictable, transparent regulatory environment.
- Strong political commitment to responsible exploration and long-term oil and gas development.
- Open doors for credible partners ready to participate in a high-potential deepwater basin.
Our message is: come early, engage openly, and grow with us. Sierra Leone is ready for serious investment, and the next wave of opportunity is just beginning.
*Culled from December Issue of PAV Magazine
