VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/21/12 -- Africa Oil Corp. ("Africa Oil" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AOI)(OMX:AOI) is pleased to announce the spudding in Kenya of the Twiga South-1 exploration well located in onshore Block 13T, today, Tuesday, August 21, 2012. The well is planned to a total depth of 3,114 meters and targets the same structural trend and reservoirs as the recent Ngamia-1 oil discovery 23 kilometers to the south. The well is operated by Tullow Oil plc ("Tullow") who hold a 50% working interest and will be using the Weatherford 804 rig that was used to drill Ngamia-1. An extensive coring and testing program is planned if the well encounters similar pay sands as at the Ngamia-1 discovery.

Additionally in onshore Kenya, the Paipai-1 well in Block 10A, is on track to spud in early September using the Sakson PR-5 rig which is in the process of final mobilization from Mombassa to the well site.

In onshore Ethiopia, rig contract negotiations by the operator, Tullow, are nearing conclusion for the commencement of the exploration drilling campaign which will commence with the Sabisa-1 well in the South Omo Block by the end of this year.

Keith Hill, President and CEO of Africa Oil, commented, "The Twiga South-1 well represents the next step in expanding the play northward into the Lockichar basin and proving up the 'string of pearls' concept along the main basin bounding fault. We also look forward to the arrival of the additional two drilling rigs which will allow us to evaluate whether the Tertiary trend extends into southern Ethiopia and to test the Cretaceous rift in north-central Kenya. We continue to be highly optimistic that the early success we have seen to date will extend into these other areas."