As exploration activity accelerates across the MSGBC basin, Guinea-Conakry is positioning itself as a new frontier for oil and gas development while expanding large-scale power infrastructure to support economic and industrial growth.
At the upcoming Invest in African Energy Forum 2026 in Paris, Aboubacar Camara is expected to outline the country’s strategy to unlock upstream hydrocarbon potential while strengthening electricity generation capacity.
Guinea’s hydrocarbon sector remains relatively underexplored compared with neighboring countries in the Mauritania–Senegal–Gambia–Bissau–Conakry (MSGBC) basin, which has attracted growing industry interest following major discoveries in Senegal and Mauritania in recent years.
To stimulate exploration activity, the government has been preparing a licensing round covering 22 onshore and offshore blocks aimed at attracting international operators. Authorities were finalizing the technical framework and fiscal terms by late 2025 while expanding access to geological data through a National Seismic Data Visualization Center, developed in collaboration with SLB and TGS. The platform is expected to provide investors with enhanced geological insights into the country’s offshore basins ahead of the planned bid round.
Alongside its upstream ambitions, Guinea is also accelerating investments in large-scale power infrastructure to address electricity shortages and support its rapidly expanding mining sector. Hydropower continues to serve as the backbone of the country’s electricity system, particularly through projects developed along the Konkouré River.
The 450 MW Souapiti Hydropower Plant and the earlier 240 MW Kaleta Hydropower Plant have significantly increased national generation capacity in recent years, strengthening grid reliability and supplying electricity to mining operations and urban centers.
Several additional projects are progressing, including the 300 MW Amaria hydropower project and the 294 MW Koukoutamba hydropower plant, which is being developed under the Senegal River Basin Development Authority to deliver electricity across multiple West African countries.
Beyond hydropower, the government is exploring opportunities to diversify the country’s energy mix through natural gas and renewable energy investments. Plans under consideration include the development of an LNG terminal at the Port of Kamsar, designed to support both import and export operations while supplying a proposed gas-fired power plant with capacity of up to 1,900 MW.
Solar energy is also gaining momentum as part of Guinea’s long-term strategy to enhance grid stability and reduce seasonal dependence on hydropower. Government plans call for the addition of up to 500 MW of solar generation capacity in the coming years, creating opportunities for independent power producers and infrastructure investors.
Regional power integration efforts are also expanding through initiatives within the West African Power Pool. Financing approved in 2025 for the Guinea–Mali electricity interconnection project aims to improve electricity supply in eastern Guinea while enabling cross-border power trade and strengthening regional grid stability.
The IAE 2026 Forum is expected to provide Guinea-Conakry with an opportunity to present its evolving energy strategy to global investors. By promoting new exploration acreage alongside major power infrastructure projects, the government hopes to attract partnerships that will accelerate the next phase of the country’s energy sector development.
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