Africa is already a major player in global liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets, supplying almost 10% of global LNG and showing one of the strongest long-term growth runways among emerging gas regions. Yet the real story is not just Africa’s contribution to global energy security, it is the gap between what the continent exports and what it consumes.
Africa quietly leads the world in a niche but transformational technology: floating LNG (FLNG). Of the ten operational FLNG projects globally, six are located in Africa, including in:
- Mozambique – Coral South FLNG
- Cameroon – Hilli Episeyo FLNG
- Nigeria – multiple offshore-driven FPSO/FLNG expansions
- Congo-Brazzaville – Marine XII FLNG
- Equatorial Guinea – offshore gas monetisation units
- Mauritania–Senegal (Greater Tortue Ahmeyim) – floating export systems now coming online
Why does FLNG matter? Because it bypasses the need for expensive onshore terminals, accelerates time-to-market, and gives African producers a competitive advantage in flexible supply to Europe and Asia.
Most importantly, FLNG fits Africa’s project realities: deepwater resources, challenging terrains, and the need for lower upfront capital compared to mega onshore plants.
Two countries anchor Africa’s LNG momentum and both are betting heavily on expanded oil and gas production.
Nigeria:
Nigeria has declared one of the continent’s most ambitious ramps:
- Oil: from ~1.3 mb/d to 3 mb/d
- Gas: to 12 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) by 2030
Nigeria wants to feed industry, power manufacturing zones, and support petrochemicals. Its domestic power crisis is the clearest argument for unlocking more gas at home.
Angola:
Angola made a bold move in 2023: it exited OPEC to free itself from production quotas and accelerate liquids output. That decision signaled a shift from constraint to expansion, one rooted in economic necessity, not geopolitics.
Combined, Nigeria and Angola have attracted nearly US$20 billion in final investment decisions (FIDs) since 2024, following fiscal reforms and more investment-friendly frameworks.
Read Also: Africa’s Solar Capacity to Hit 31 GW in 2025 Growth Amid a Slowing Pace
While Africa exports almost 10% of global LNG, it consumes only 4% of the world’s gas supply. Even more striking: per capita gas use is less than a quarter of the global average.
This is due to:
- weak transmission infrastructure
- limited industrial demand
- unbankable domestic markets
- currency instability
- slow regulatory approvals
Across the continent, policymakers are beginning to rethink the “export-first” model.
Key signals:
- New regional pipelines (e.g., Nigeria–Morocco, trans-Sahel concepts)
- Gas-to-power investments as coal exits
- Industrial hubs anchored on gas supply
- Reforms aimed at local market development, not just export earnings
The simplest and most economically viable way to monetise Africa’s gas is still electricity. Transporting electrons is easier than transporting molecules. Gas-to-power provides immediate domestic benefit:
- stabilizes grids
- anchors industrial growth
- reduces reliance on expensive diesel
- absorbs production volumes quickly
Africa’s LNG future will be shaped by two parallel tracks:
- Export Strength – FLNG innovation, competitive LNG to Europe and Asia, and upstream expansion led by Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique, Senegal, and Mauritania.
- Domestic Market Growth – pipelines, gas-to-power, industrial consumption, and regional cooperation.