Gambia and Ghana Petroleum Commissions Sign MoU to Boost Upstream Cooperation
On July 10, 2024, the Petroleum Commission of The Gambia and the Petroleum Commission of Ghana formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration in the regulation and management of their upstream petroleum sectors. The signing ceremony took place in Banjul during a three‑day visit by a Ghanaian delegation, led by Acting Chief Executive Officer Emeafa Hardcastle.
Engr. Cany Jobe, Director General of the Petroleum Commission of The Gambia, and Ms. Hardcastle exchanged the signed document after discussions that highlighted shared goals of institutional capacity building, transparent governance, and sustainable resource development.
Scope of the Agreement
The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation across several key areas:
- Upstream petroleum regulation and licensing
- Local content development and enforcement
- Petroleum data management and sharing
- Legal and regulatory framework harmonisation
- Compliance monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
- Institutional strengthening through staff exchanges, training, study visits, internships, secondments, technical assistance, and joint programmes
These provisions are designed to allow both commissions to leverage each other’s experiences—particularly Ghana’s decade‑long track record in commercial oil production—and apply lessons to The Gambia’s emerging upstream sector.
Technical Exchange and Institutional Support
During the visit, the Ghanaian delegation met with Gambia’s Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, Nani Juwara, and officials from the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). Minister Juwara welcomed the delegation and reiterated the government’s commitment to deepening pan‑African cooperation in petroleum governance.
Engr. Cany Jobe described the partnership as “a practical partnership based on institution building and shared learning.” She emphasized that while geological prospects and investment drive discoveries, it is the strength of regulatory institutions that determines whether those discoveries translate into lasting national benefits.
“A country may discover oil, but without effective institutions, clear rules, technical discipline, public trust and responsible oversight, the opportunity can easily be weakened.” – Engr. Cany Jobe
Ms. Emeafa Hardcastle characterised the signing as “far more than a formal act” and highlighted its timing amid global energy transition pressures and increasing competition for investment across African oil‑producing nations.
“Our most important task begins: translating the commitments in our MoU into meaningful, concrete results.” – Emeafa Hardcastle
She added that cooperation between African regulators enables institutions to pool complementary strengths, deepen technical expertise, and advance mutual development goals.
Implementation Mechanisms
To ensure effective follow‑up, the MoU establishes a joint steering and oversight committee responsible for:
- Developing annual work programmes
- Coordinating technical cooperation through specialised subcommittees
- Monitoring progress and reporting outcomes to both commissions’ leadership
The Petroleum Commission of The Gambia expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian delegation, the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, the GNPC Board, management, staff, and all stakeholders whose support contributed to the visit’s success.
Context and Significance
Ghana commenced commercial oil production in 2010 and currently extracts crude from three offshore fields—Jubilee, TEN, and Sankofa‑Gye Nyame—producing an average of approximately 180,000 barrels per day according to the Ghana Petroleum Commission’s 2023 annual report. This experience provides a valuable reference point for frontier petroleum jurisdictions such as The Gambia, which is actively exploring its offshore basins.
By fostering regulatory collaboration, the MoU aligns with broader continental initiatives aimed at improving governance in the extractive sector, such as the African Mining Vision and the African Union’s Framework for Sustainable Extractive Industries. Such partnerships are increasingly recognised as vital for building investor confidence, ensuring environmental stewardship, and maximising socio‑economic benefits from hydrocarbon resources.
As both commissions move from agreement to action, the focus will shift to concrete activities—staff exchanges, joint training workshops, and the development of shared data platforms—that can transform the MoU’s commitments into measurable improvements in upstream petroleum management.
