The campaign includes geophysical studies and stratigraphic drilling conducted in partnership with seismic firm TGS, aimed at strengthening Guinea’s subsurface understanding and building a more robust technical dataset for future farm-in opportunities. The move comes as offshore investment across the basin remains capital-intensive, with operators increasingly selective on frontier exposure.

“We have taken the decision not to wait but to act,” said Fama Bangaly Soumaoro, Deputy Managing Director of SONAP, speaking at the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris this week. “Because we didn’t have partners, we [decided to] relaunch exploration onshore. We have decided to do some geophysical research alongside our seismic data partner TGS.”

SONAP’s approach reflects a broader recalibration underway in the MSGBC Basin, where countries are balancing continued exploration with efforts to improve investment readiness through data transparency and coordinated development strategies. The push comes as neighboring Senegal and Mauritania reach commercial production at the Sangomar and Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) projects - now producing 100,000 bpd and 250 mmcf/d respectively. 

These milestones have reinforced the basin’s prospectivity, while also raising expectations for adjacent markets to demonstrate comparable readiness. For Guinea, the focus is on translating geological potential into actionable datasets that can support commercial decision-making and reduce entry risk for partners.

“We must stress the importance of sharing data in order to improve collaboration,” Soumaoro said. “Because we are working in the same geological zone, there is a way that we can work together to come up with projects that will be presented to investors.”

Across the MSGBC Basin, access to integrated and high-quality data is increasingly seen as a differentiator in attracting capital. SONAP’s campaign is designed not only to advance exploration, but to contribute to a broader regional dataset that can inform cross-border development strategies. This aligns with efforts by other MSGBC countries to move beyond isolated exploration campaigns toward coordinated basin-wide analysis.

“The Gambia is presenting not only data but a coherent petroleum system,” said Cany Jobe, Director General of The Gambia Petroleum Commission. “Deepwater fan systems have been confirmed and recent drilling activities have confirmed petroleum systems. We have been processing this with regional data to better track our reservoir system. Our focus has shifted from discovering a working petroleum system to a commercial one.”

While exploration activity is advancing, speakers at the Paris forum also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to support investment.

“We must also work on the legal frameworks in the basin, because very often, partners who come are worried about this,” Soumaoro noted. “We have to work on being less theoretical and more practical.”

Efforts are underway at the regional level to harmonize policies and standards, particularly through ECOWAS, which is working toward unified energy frameworks in the downstream sector. These initiatives aim to reduce uncertainty and facilitate cross-border projects. At the same time, countries are embedding local content and national participation requirements into their licensing strategies to ensure that exploration activity translates into broader economic value.

“Our licensing framework is devised to ensure there is alignment from day one - investment capital and national interest. It is not only about what we get financially but about knowledge transfer and national participation,” Jobe said.