Geographically the best place to be next door to USA13 Jun 2025 14:19
🌍 Jurisdiction Comparison: Jamaica vs Africa
1. Political & Legal Stability
• Jamaica:
• Stable democratic government.
• Strong ties to UK and US legal systems (based on English common law).
• No history of expropriation or government seizure of foreign oil & gas assets.
• Transparent regulatory framework — farm-outs, licences, and royalties clearly defined.
• Africa (varies by country):
• Some jurisdictions (like Namibia or Ghana) are stable and investor-friendly.
• Others (e.g. DRC, Nigeria, Libya) carry significant political and legal risk:
• Licence uncertainty
• Nationalisation threats
• Corruption and opaque permitting
2. Resource Nationalism
• Jamaica: Very low risk of resource nationalism. The government wants foreign investment to unlock offshore hydrocarbon potential.
• Africa: Higher risk in some countries — local ownership requirements, shifting terms, or interference after discovery.
3. Security & Operational Risk
• Jamaica: No internal conflicts or insurgencies. Safe for field staff and international JV partners. Naval routes are secure.
• Africa: Some countries have serious security issues (militant groups, piracy, civil unrest) that raise insurance costs and risk exposure.
4. Ease of Doing Business
• Jamaica: Ranked relatively well in the Caribbean for ease of doing business, with pro-investment agencies like the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ).
• Africa: Some countries (like Egypt and South Africa) are efficient, but many have slow bureaucracies, currency controls, or require political influence to move projects forward.
⸻
✅ Summary
Jamaica offers:
• Legal clarity
• Political stability
• Security
• Lower corruption risk
• Offshore acreage that hasn’t been heavily explored (first-mover advantage)
Compared to many African jurisdictions, Jamaica is a far less risky and more attractive place for a small-cap oil & gas explorer to try to develop a large-scale asset — especially one looking to attract a Western farm-out partner.
USA next door , drill baby drill