The Zanzibar Petroleum Development Corporation (ZPDC) has contracted Africa Geoophysical Services (AGS) to conduct the survey, which officials say will provide definitive data on whether commercially viable oil or natural gas resources exist beneath the seabed.

The move aligns the semi-autonomous archipelago with regional peers, including Tanzania Mainland, Uganda and Kenya, where modern seismic surveys have become a prerequisite for responsible hydrocarbon development.

Zanzibar’s Minister for Blue Economy and Fisheries, Masoud Ali Mohammed, said the agreement reflects President Hussein Ali Mwinyi’s strategy of advancing the blue economy as a foundation for long-term and sustainable growth.

“The blue economy policy provides a framework for responsibly harnessing marine and land-based resources,” Mohammed said after the signing. “This exercise is about building knowledge and making decisions based on evidence.”

The 3D seismic survey will cover selected areas in North and South Unguja and is expected to generate high-resolution subsurface data to guide any future decision on exploratory drilling.

Globally, 3D seismic surveys are regarded as a critical step before drilling, helping governments and investors reduce geological uncertainty and financial risk. In East Africa, similar data-driven approaches have underpinned Uganda’s oil development, Tanzania’s offshore gas projects and Kenya’s ongoing exploration efforts.

Zanzibar authorities say the current survey is intended to bring clarity after years of preliminary exploration.

ZPDC Managing Director Mikidad Ali Rashid said earlier 2D seismic surveys, conducted in partnership with RAKGas across Unguja and Pemba islands, identified promising geological structures that now require more detailed analysis.

“In exploration, you gradually narrow down your focus,” Rashid said. “3D seismic allows a much clearer understanding of subsurface formations.”

Following RAKGas’s exit from the project, the government opted to proceed independently, selecting AGS based on its international experience and technical capacity.

Rashid said the new survey will employ modern, flexible technologies rather than older methods that relied heavily on explosives, in line with evolving global standards on environmental protection and operational safety.

The project is expected to run through February 2027. Upon completion and analysis of the data, ZPDC will determine whether to proceed with exploratory drilling and whether to engage additional partners.

“Our objective is clarity,” Rashid said. “Either we move forward with development, or we close the chapter with confidence based on sound science.”

AGS Tanzania General Manager Shaun Graham said the company would deploy advanced seismic technology to support Zanzibar’s assessment of its hydrocarbon potential.

“This project meets international exploration standards while strengthening local capacity,” Graham said, adding that AGS welcomed the opportunity to support Zanzibar’s long-term development planning.

While oil and gas form part of Zanzibar’s blue economy strategy, officials have stressed that exploration is being pursued alongside investments in fisheries, maritime transport and tourism.

Analysts say the approach reflects a wider global trend, as governments seek to balance energy security, environmental responsibility and economic diversification.

For Zanzibar, the survey is seen less as a step toward immediate extraction and more as a bid to position the archipelago within the regional and global energy landscape through reliable, high-quality data — a necessary foundation for any future decisions on resource development.

Notes to Editors

• This story fits within energy exploration, blue economy policy and natural resource governance, with a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making rather than immediate extraction.
• It highlights Zanzibar’s alignment with regional best practice in East Africa, where modern 3D seismic surveys precede any hydrocarbon development.
• The article should be framed as a strategic assessment and risk-reduction initiative, not a declaration of confirmed oil or gas discoveries.

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