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Gas From Africa

January 16, 2025

Africa is viewed worldwide as a "sleeping gas giant”. The continent’s total gas reserves are almost as large as those of the US. But will local people actually benefit from the export of gas, as hoped?

Gas From Africa
As an alternative to the construction of cost-intensive and vulnerable pipelines, the production and transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is becoming more attractive. A number of African countries are already exporting their natural gas in the form of liquefied natural gas using special tankers.Image: NZZ Format

Europe is looking for new gas producers. This is because Russia’s war against Ukraine has highlighted Europe's and especially Germany's dependence on Russian gas. One possible solution is to increase gas imports from Africa, which already account for around a fifth of the gas used in Europe.

Oil and gas exports are an important source of income for many African countries and account for 50 to 80 per cent of total government revenue in some countries. Most of the gas produced in Africa is exported.Image: NZZ Format

Mozambique in southern Africa is expected to become the third largest African exporter of liquefied natural gas. Senegal in West Africa is also seen as a major future gas supplier. 

Image: NZZ Format

What does this development mean for the people of Mozambique and Senegal? Will they actually benefit from gas exports as hoped? Can the utilization of gas reserves create new jobs and help to reduce migration from Senegal to Europe? 

In the old Senegalese colonial town of Saint-Louis, everyone knows people who have lost their lives at sea. Nevertheless, many people no longer want to wait for a better future in Africa.Image: NZZ Format

So far, the gas sector in Mozambique has led to conflict rather than prosperity. Is a turnaround in sight? Or is African gas coming too late to be relevant for European climate neutrality targets? 

 

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