Relative to other African regions, East Africa has been explored to a far lesser degree than the prolific oil and gas producing regions of West and North Africa, where a significantly greater number of wells have been drilled.

Working petroleum systems
Mesozoic rifting phases associated with the break-up of the mega-continent, Gondwanaland, has created several prolific hydrocarbon basins. The Anza, Lamu and Mandera basins in Kenya, the Ogaden basin in Ethiopia, Ambilobe Basin in Madagascar and the Seychelles Basin share many characteristics, including source rocks, reservoirs, seals and structure with other Mesozoic rift basins that are today producing significant volumes of oil and gas.

Despite the relatively low levels of drilling and comparatively limited seismic data coverage, there is clear evidence that petroleum systems are working along the Eastern African margin. There are gas discoveries currently in production in Tanzania and Mozambique, with additional future developments also in the planning stage.

Oil seeps are common and several wells drilled to date have encountered oil or oil shows, indicating that the regional source rocks are also liquid-prone. Major oil accumulations have also been discovered in Uganda, Sudan and Madagascar in particular, with Yemen and the Bombay/Cambay High's in India also prolific oil producing areas that share a common geological origin with East Africa.

The next phase of exploration in East Africa, based on modern data, is predicted to lead to a significant increase in activity and discovery rates.