• Africa’s natural gas consumption rose 4% to 185 billion cubic meters in 2025, driven by power and residential demand.

• North Africa led consumption, while Nigeria and LNG-importing markets supported growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• African gas production increased 2.5% to 262 bcm, reversing a decline seen in 2024.

Africa’s natural gas consumption increased by 4% in 2025 to reach 185 billion cubic meters (bcm), according to the “Annual Gas Market Report 2026” published on March 31 by the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. The report stated that consumption rose from 178 bcm in 2024, reflecting sustained demand growth across the continent.

This increase comes as nearly 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, while more than 1 billion people rely on rudimentary cooking systems. Residential demand contributed significantly to the rise in gas consumption.

Consumption growth remained heavily concentrated in North Africa, where Algeria and Egypt continued to dominate regional demand. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria and emerging LNG-importing markets supported expansion. These markets benefited from new regasification capacity and gas-to-power projects, although infrastructure bottlenecks persisted.

Across the continent, the power sector drove most of the demand. Rising electricity needs, rapid urbanization, and coordinated regional efforts to improve grid reliability fueled gas usage. As countries sought to close persistent energy access gaps, gas-fired power generation strengthened its role in Africa’s energy mix.

Industrial demand also contributed to the increase, particularly from energy-intensive sectors such as petrochemicals and fertilizers. In North Africa, domestic gas availability supported industrial hubs in Algeria and Egypt and helped sustain export revenues.

Nigeria leveraged its large gas reserves to accelerate industrialization and agricultural productivity through fertilizer production, reinforcing the role of gas in economic development.

Outlook for 2026

The report projected that Africa’s gas consumption will moderate in 2026, rising by 1.62% to 188 bcm. Despite the acceleration of renewable energy deployment, natural gas will likely retain its dual role as a reliable baseload fuel and a balancing source for intermittent power systems.

Globally, gas consumption increased by 1.2% (55 bcm) in 2025 to reach 4,217 bcm.

North America remained the largest gas-consuming region with 1,169 bcm, followed by Asia-Pacific with 977 bcm, although the latter showed signs of slowing momentum. Eurasia consumed 678 bcm, the Middle East 591 bcm, Europe 461 bcm, Africa 185 bcm, and Latin America and the Caribbean 155 bcm.

The report forecast that global gas consumption will rise by 1% in 2026 to around 4,260 bcm. A recovery in Asia-Pacific and continued growth in North America will drive this increase. However, escalating conflict in the Middle East could affect these projections.

African Production Rebounds

Africa’s natural gas production rose by 2.5% in 2025 to 262 bcm, reversing the decline recorded in 2024. The continent accounted for 6.2% of global gas output.

Sub-Saharan Africa drove most of the increase, particularly through higher production in Nigeria and Angola. West Africa also benefited from strategic output gains linked to the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project on the Senegal-Mauritania maritime border.

These gains offset declines in some North African producers, notably Egypt, where natural depletion at the Zohr field reduced output. Globally, gas production increased by 1.2% in 2025 to 4,232 bcm.

This trend extended a decade of steady global production growth, driven mainly by capacity increases in North America (+3.4%), the Middle East (+2.5%), and Africa (+2.5%). The GECF expects global gas production to rise by 1% in 2026, supported by new fields coming online in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum