Turkey’s state-owned energy giant, Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), has announced a major natural gas discovery offshore Somalia, estimating reserves of approximately 10 billion barrels of commercially viable natural gas.
This positive development marks a turning point for Somalia’s emerging energy sector and reflects growing Turkish energy interests across East Africa.
The discovery follows preliminary drilling and geological assessments conducted in two of the three offshore exploration blocks operated by TPAO in Somali waters.
Each of the two blocks is estimated to contain up to 5 billion barrels of recoverable reserves.
Exploration activities are ongoing in the third block, with results expected by August following laboratory analysis in Turkey to confirm the volume and quality of the reserves.
With this progress, Somalia is nearing the final stages of its first-ever offshore oil and gas exploration campaign—launched in partnership with Turkey.
In March 2024, Somalia’s then-Petroleum Minister, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed, signed a landmark energy cooperation agreement in Istanbul with Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
The deal grants TPAO exclusive rights to explore and develop three offshore blocks, each spanning 5,000 square kilometers.
The agreement was formally ratified by the Turkish Parliament in April 2025, revealing its full terms for the first time.
Under the deal, Turkey secured a 90% stake in revenues from offshore gas and oil production—an arrangement that has sparked criticism from some Somali political leaders, who warn of potential resource exploitation.
Despite concerns, the agreement includes provisions for profit-sharing and security cooperation, with Turkey offering defense assistance in exchange for its energy investments.
Beyond offshore activities, Turkey and Somalia expanded their collaboration in April 2025 by signing a new onshore oil and gas exploration agreement.
This grants TPAO seismic survey rights across three land blocks totaling 16,000 square kilometers.
Turkey’s Energy Minister stated that Somalia stands to benefit from Ankara’s advanced seismic technologies, which will help assess and unlock its full hydrocarbon potential.
Analysts say Turkey’s growing energy footprint could reshape regional geopolitics, particularly amid Somalia’s ongoing tensions with Ethiopia over the disputed Somaliland region.
Somalia is said to hold more than 6 billion cubic metres of proven natural gas reserves and an estimated 30 billion barrels of untapped offshore hydrocarbon potential.
With Turkey as a strategic energy partner, Somalia could soon position itself as a key player in East Africa’s oil and gas market.
Meanwhile, TPAO is also actively pursuing oil and gas exploration agreements in Libya, indicating Turkey’s broader ambitions to expand its energy influence across Africa and the Mediterranean.
