The government is set to open bidding for 10 exploration blocks in Kenya's first licensing round since enacting a new laws governing petroleum legislation six years ago. In an announcement on September 1, the Ministry of Petroleum revealed that the blocks, which are located in the Anza and Lamu basins, were selected based on geoscientific data to ensure transparency.
Kenya holds at least 50 blocks across four sedimentary basins, with Principal Secretary for petroleum Mohamed Liban confirming that 10 were ready for marketing. "This offering represents a new era in petroleum exploration, aligning Kenya with global standards," Liban said. Oil exploration in Turkana County.
Photo Notably, Kenya's petroleum exploration blocks were recently restructured to feature flexible Production Sharing contract terms and a package of tax incentives.
Joseph Otieno, the Petroleum Commissioner further stated that the licensing reflected the government's efforts to attract international investors by eliminating barriers and improving access to data about the exploration blocks.. During the 2025 East African Petroleum Conference in Dar es Salaam, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi also revealed the government was expanding infrastructure to support more exploration and production of oil. While Kenya has immense potential to become an oil-producing superpower, projects have stalled over the years due to several different factors.
