Africa Oil Shabeel North Update

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - July 18, 2012) - Africa Oil Corp. ("Africa Oil" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AOI)(OMX:AOI) reports that the Horn Petroleum Corporation operated Shabeel North well is currently at a depth of 1967 meters and has penetrated a 50 meter gross section of upper Jesomma sands with oil shows. An open hole drill stem test is currently underway to determine if this zone is oil or water bearing.

Regardless of the result of this test, the well will continue to drill to the base of the Jesomma sands to evaluate any additional lower Jesomma potential pay zones.

Africa Oil Corp. is a Canadian oil and gas company with assets in Kenya, Ethiopia and Mali as well as Puntland (Somalia) through its 45% equity interest in Horn Petroleum Corporation. Africa Oil's East African holdings are in within a world-class exploration play fairway with a total gross land package in this prolific region in excess of 300,000 square kilometers. The East African Rift Basin system is one of the last of the great rift basins to be explored. New discoveries have been announced on all sides of Africa Oil's virtually unexplored land position including the major Albert Graben oil discovery in neighbouring Uganda. Similar to the Albert Graben play model, Africa Oil's concessions have older wells, a legacy database, and host numerous oil seeps indicating a proven petroleum system. Good quality existing seismic show robust leads and prospects throughout Africa Oil's project areas. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and on First North at NASDAQ OMX-Stockholm under the symbol "AOI".

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Keith C. Hill, President and CEO

Africa Oil's Certified Advisor on NASDAQ OMX First North is Pareto Öhman AB.