Nairobi, Kenya, 08 May 2026 - The African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) successfully delivered a three-day capacity building workshop for officials from the Republic of South Sudan, aimed at strengthening legal and institutional capacity in the oil and gas sector. The workshop advances ALSF’s broader mission to improve governance frameworks and negotiation capacity in extractive industries.
The ALSF supports the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to enhance its oil and gas sector through targeted capacity building initiatives. This engagement, which began in 2017, focuses on strengthening the legal and regulatory framework governing the sector and the capacity of officials to successfully negotiate beneficial agreements.
As a culmination of this initiative, ALSF senior legal and capacity building experts, alongside international law firm Pinsent Masons LLP, organized a three-day workshop in Nairobi from 06 to 08 May 2026 for 27 South Sudanese government officials. Participants represented key institutions, including the Ministry of Petroleum, the National Petroleum and Gas Commission (NPGC), and Nile Petroleum Corporation - the national oil company of South Sudan.
The workshop provided participants with fundamental knowledge, practical skills, and tools to strengthen contract negotiation, governance, and regulatory oversight in the oil and gas sector. The sessions included the review of existing Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA) models and the use of new standardized tools and guidance materials. The workshop also served as a platform to discuss key challenges and identify next steps in the implementation of priority reforms.
Mr. Cosmas D. Wani, the Secretary and Chief Executive of the NPGC, commended the ALSF’s support, both through the provision of practical, tailored model documents and through training sessions that enable senior officials in South Sudan to improve their contract management skills.
With the skills gained and ongoing collaboration, the ALSF and South Sudan partnership is expected to contribute to improved transparency, stronger contract negotiation outcomes, and enhanced institutional capacity in South Sudan’s oil and gas sector, ultimately supporting sustainable economic development.
About the ALSF
Established by the African Development Bank in 2008, the ALSF assists African governments in negotiating complex commercial transactions, providing legal and technical assistance and developing capacity building tools in the key sectors of infrastructure and public-private partnerships, energy, natural resources and extractive industries, as well as on sovereign debt and creditor disputes.
Contact us
Eve Ehoura, Communication Officer: e.ehoura@afdb.org
ALSF Website: https://www.alsf.int