Rwanda has announced its first oil discovery in Lake Kivu, confirming the presence of 13 oil reservoirs in the region, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Francis Kamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, shared the news during a parliamentary session, expressing optimism for further finds. “The good news is that we have oil,” Kamanzi stated, according to local media. He confirmed that 13 exploratory wells had identified oil in the lake, with expectations of discovering more due to the significant reserves already found in neighboring Uganda and DRC.
Rwanda has conducted tests and exploratory drilling in Lake Kivu for over a decade. Despite the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, where Rwanda-backed armed groups have seized territory and mining operations, Rwanda and the DRC have continued to discuss exploration prospects in the area.