CAPE TOWN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) hold significant untapped oil and gas resources but must accelerate exploration to reduce reliance on imports, an industry leader said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Southern African Oil and Gas Conference 2026, Satish Roopa, board chairman of Petroleum Agency South Africa, said the region had "world-class" gas resources yet remained dependent on imported energy.
Roopa made the remarks on the final day of the two-day conference, held in Cape Town and hosted by the South African Oil and Gas Alliance, Petroleum Agency South Africa and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
The conference, themed "Oil and Gas without Borders: Unlocking Southern Africa's Shared Future," examined developments in the region's upstream petroleum sector and broader energy landscape.
Roopa outlined the scale of resources across the region, saying that Mozambique alone could supply energy to at least 11 African countries.
According to him, Angola has 8 to 9 billion barrels of proven oil reserves as Africa's second-largest producer, while Tanzania holds about 57 trillion cubic feet of offshore gas and significant liquefied natural gas potential.
Mozambique, he added, has more than 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, with development of the Rovuma Basin offshore project already underway. Meanwhile, Namibia's Orange Basin could contain billions of barrels of oil and is considered one of the most significant recent discoveries.
"So the resources are here, the window is for us to act now," Roopa said.
Phumzile Mgcina, South Africa's deputy minister of mineral and petroleum resources, reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting the sector's growth.
"We are committed to helping accelerate the sector's growth by advancing policy, finance, strengthening capabilities and fostering strategic partnerships that will enable South Africans to fully recognize its oil and gas potential," she added. ■