Incredible increase’ in oil, gas in East Africa

East Africa is in the middle of an incredible energy boom that is likely to last decades, according to energy industry executives who gathered this week in Kenya’s capital in a sign of the region’s growing prominence.

The last couple of years have seen significant oil and gas discoveries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique. Even Somalia hopes to get onboard though security woes and a lack of regulation make the likelihood still years away.

"This region was definitely underexplored in the last decade," said Martin Trachsel, the chief executive of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited. "Most companies were exploring in West Africa. It’s part of a general trend of people looking for more oil.