Ministry of Petroleum and Energy

What Ministry of Petroleum and Energy does

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE) is the government ministry of The Gambia responsible for regulating and managing the country's petroleum, energy, and geology sectors. Formally established in 2016 through the merger of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Petroleum, with the Geological Department added to its purview in 2017, MoPE operates as a state entity under the Government of The Gambia headquartered at Petroleum House in Brusubi. The Ministry employs approximately 55 staff and oversees three interconnected subsectors: petroleum (upstream exploration and downstream distribution), energy (electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and renewable energy policy), and geology (mineral exploration, mining, and quarrying regulation).

MoPE's core functions include formulating and implementing policies, conducting licensing rounds for offshore petroleum blocks (A1, A2, A4, A5), managing electricity tariffs across customer categories (domestic prepayment at GMD9.10/kWh, commercial at GMD9.70/kWh, industrial at GMD10.40/kWh), regulating downstream petroleum through the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), and conducting geological surveys for mineral resources including quartz sands (50+ million tonnes prospective reserves), plastic clay (10.6 million tonnes minable reserves), and kaolinitic clay (3.1 million tonnes). The Ministry coordinates with quasi-government subsidiaries including the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and Gambia Renewable Energy Centre (GREC), and partners with international organizations including the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union, IRENA, UNDP, USAID/Power Africa, and ECREEE.

The Ministry is funded through national budget allocations rather than commercial operations, though it generates revenue through petroleum licensing (signature bonuses, royalties), mining and quarrying license fees, and government-controlled pricing of construction materials (e.g., dredged sand at D475 per cubic meter). Strategic priorities include achieving universal electricity access by 2025, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) by 2030, transitioning from fossil fuel dependence through renewable energy deployment (solar PV, wind, biomass), rural electrification via solar home systems and mini-grids, and pursuing new initiatives such as the 2024 IPP regional solar park and hydrogen exploration agreements.

Name

Ministry of Petroleum and Energy

Legal name

Ministry of Petroleum and Energy

Website

https://mope.gov.gm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE) is The Gambia's government ministry regulating petroleum, energy, and geology sectors. It licenses offshore exploration blocks, sets electricity tariffs, manages mineral resources, and oversees quasi-government utilities NAWEC, GNPC, and GREC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Energy & Petroleum Regulation

NAICS

Oil and Gas Extraction (2111), Crude Petroleum Extraction (211120)

SIC

Mineral Royalty Traders (6795), Oil Royalty Traders (6792), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)

akta.pro primary industry

Energy, Utilities & Natural Resources Regulators (BPAIAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mineral Rights, Leasing & Land Management (EUALAAAB), Minerals, Mining & Geologic Resources Administration (BPAIAMAJ), Incentives, Grants & Program Administration (Auctions, Tenders, IRA/ITC/PTC Advisory) (EUAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Petroleum sector regulation
• Energy policy administration
• Mining licensing services
• Renewable energy programs
• Geological resource surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Brusubi

HQ country

Gambia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: The Ministry operates as a government ministry funded through national budget allocations from the Government of The Gambia. Revenue comes from public funds rather than commercial operations.
2. Mining and Quarrying License Fees: Revenue generated from licensing fees for mining and quarrying operations including construction sand, aggregates, and mineral extraction
3. Petroleum Royalties and Signature Bonuses: Revenue from petroleum exploration licenses including signature bonuses and production royalties from oil companies operating in Gambian waters

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy serves as the exclusive government regulatory authority for petroleum exploration and production, energy sector administration, and geological/mineral resources in The Gambia. It manages petroleum licensing rounds for offshore blocks, regulates downstream fuel pricing and distribution, sets electricity tariffs across consumer categories, promotes renewable energy deployment, and administers mining and quarrying licenses. Core operations are funded through national budget allocations and supported by international development partnerships with the World Bank, AfDB, EU, IRENA, and others.

Product overview

The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MoPE) of The Gambia provides government services across three interconnected sectors: Petroleum, Energy, and Geology. The Ministry does not offer a unified software product but rather delivers regulatory, policy, and administrative services. Key service areas include petroleum sector regulation through licensing rounds and exploration monitoring; energy sector management including electricity tariff administration, renewable energy promotion, and energy efficiency programs; and geological services covering mining licensing, quarrying regulation, and mineral resource assessment. The Ministry coordinates with partner agencies including NAWEC (National Water and Electricity Company) for electricity distribution, PURA for downstream petroleum regulation, and GNPC for petroleum corporation matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Petroleum Sector Regulation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• National electricity generation increased from 20 GWh (1981) to 352 GWh (2018)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and key.

• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN agency supporting renewable energy development and capacity building in The Gambia. Provides technical assistance for renewable energy strategies and planning.
• ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional ECOWAS agency providing support for renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency programs, and regional power pool initiatives including WAPP.
• United Nation Development Programme (UNDP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN development agency supporting sustainable development programs including energy access and environmental initiatives.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization supporting solar energy deployment; provided grants through Government of India for solar water pumping systems in women's community gardens.
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)supportingTechnology or IntegrationInternational standards organization providing technical standards for electrical equipment and systems implementation.
• Government of The Gambia (GOTG)coreOthersThe parent government providing policy direction, budget allocations, and inter-ministerial coordination for the energy, petroleum, and geology sectors.
• TGSkeyTechnology or IntegrationGeophysical company providing seismic data licensing for petroleum exploration blocks. Holds exclusive rights to existing multi-client seismic data offshore The Gambia and supports licensing rounds.
• Geo PartnerskeyTechnology or IntegrationGeological survey partner providing technical expertise and data for upstream petroleum sector evaluation and licensing rounds.
• TBEA International Engineering Co. LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChinese engineering company; MOU signed in September 2024 during FOCAC for cooperation on energy infrastructure projects. Contractor for transmission infrastructure including 225kV line from Brikama to Jabang.
• OMVG (Organization for the Development of the Gambia River)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization enabling interconnection of power systems across West Africa (Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia). Includes 225kV transmission line and hydropower projects at Sambangalou and Kaleta.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Department of Petroleum Resources (Nigeria): Nigeria's upstream petroleum regulator is a broad incumbent peer — a much larger-scale governmental body performing analogous licensing, royalty collection and operator oversight functions for West African petroleum exploration and production activities.
• Ministère des Hydrocarbures (Cameroon): Cameroon's hydrocarbons ministry is a broader-incumbent peer managing petroleum licensing, downstream regulation and energy policy in a Central/West African jurisdiction with established basin production — useful benchmark for upstream-to-downstream regulatory integration.

Regional players

• National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC): NAWEC is the Gambian national utility for electricity, water and sewerage services operating under MoPE oversight. Comparable as a state-owned operator that the Ministry regulates and that implements the rural electrification and tariff programs the Ministry designs.
• Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC): The Gambia National Petroleum Corporation operates under MoPE oversight as the national oil company managing the petroleum value chain. Comparable as a state-owned upstream vehicle that participates in licensing rounds alongside IOCs and is a natural counterpart to the Ministry's regulatory function.

Direct peers

• Direction des Hydrocarbures (Mauritania): Mauritania's petroleum directorate oversees licensing rounds and upstream regulation in the same Mauritanide/Senegalese basin play as Gambian offshore blocks. Direct peer for upstream licensing mechanics, signature bonus structuring and IOC engagement on the West African margin.
• Ministry of Energy (Ghana): Ghana's Ministry of Energy is a direct peer managing national energy policy, petroleum upstream oversight and renewable energy development in a West African context with comparable regulatory frameworks, electricity utility oversight and donor partnerships.
• Ministère des Mines, du Pétrole et de l'Énergie (Guinea-Bissau): Guinea-Bissau's combined mines, petroleum and energy ministry is a direct peer managing offshore licensing, mineral resource administration and rural electrification in a small neighboring West African state with comparable donor dependence and regulatory capacity constraints.
• Ministère du Pétrole et des Énergies du Sénégal: Senegal's ministry overseeing petroleum exploration, production and energy policy, directly comparable as a West African government regulator managing upstream licensing rounds, downstream fuel regulation and renewable energy programs. Shares the same regulatory mandate in a neighboring jurisdiction with active offshore exploration.
• Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (Sierra Leone): Sierra Leone's petroleum and minerals ministry is a direct peer for licensing of offshore exploration blocks, mineral rights administration and downstream fuel regulation in a small West African coastal state with similar frontier-basin exploration characteristics.

Others

• ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE): ECREEE is a regional ECOWAS agency supporting renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency programs across member states, including The Gambia. Functions as an enabling partner organization whose mandate and capacity-building programs directly intersect with the Ministry's energy subsector work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MoPEGambia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministry-of-petroleum-and-energy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Petroleum and Energy