Afren

London, June 19 2007 - Afren plc ("Afren" or "the Company") announces that John St. John has been appointed to the Board as a non-executive Director.

John St. John, who has been acting as a Strategic Financial Advisor to the Board of Afren since November 2006, was formerly Global Head of Equity Capital Markets at Dresdner Kleinwort, Commerzbank and Lehman Brothers and European Head of Equity Capital Markets at Citigroup, formerly Salomon Brothers. He has been advisor on over €100 billion of equity and equity-linked issuance in all major markets worldwide. He currently serves as Chairman of Equity Capital Markets at Nomura International plc.

Osman Shahenshah, Chief Executive of Afren, commented:
"On behalf of the Board of Afren, I am very pleased that John St. John has agreed to strengthen his commitment to the Company by joining the Board as a non-executive Director. John has a long established track-record and is one of the best-known names in the European Equity Capital Markets and played an important role in the recent equity placement that was oversubscribed. I am confident that his continuing advice, support surrounding the capital markets and strategic acquisitions will prove invaluable, as Afren continues to expand its portfolio and moves towards its aim of becoming the premier pan African independent Exploration and Production company."

For further information, please contact:

Afren plc   +44 (0) 20 7182 1800
Osman Shahenshah Chief Executive  

Pelham Public Relations   +44 (0) 20 7743 6673
James Henderson    
Alisdair Haythornthwaite    

Background information

Afren (www.afren.com) was founded in December 2004 by a management team including Dr Rilwanu Lukman, Chairman, and Osman Shahenshah, Chief Executive, with the vision to become the premier pan African independent Exploration and Production company. Since its listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, Afren has rapidly expanded its portfolio and the management team has delivered nine assets in the Joint Development Zone of Nigeria São Tomé and Príncipe, Nigeria, Gabon, Angola and Congo Brazzaville.

Afren will continue to add to its diversified portfolio of near term development and high impact exploration with the overall objective of creating substantial shareholder value.

Additional information on John St. John to be disclosed in relation to Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies can be found below.

Current Directorships
St. John Estates LLP
St. John Estates Limited
St. John Advisers Limited
MMJ Advisers LLP
Burckhardt Fraess & Co. LLP (Switzerland)
Highview Enterprises Limited

Previous Directorships
Chiliogon Limited
EO PLC