• Congo’s parliament is expected to approve a new gas code in October 2025.
• The law aims to attract investment with new fiscal and regulatory measures.
• Congo holds 10 tcf of proven reserves and targets a regional gas hub role.

Congo’s parliament is set to adopt a new gas code in October, Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua said during African Energy Week in Cape Town, held from September 29 to October 3.

The new legal framework, which will regulate exploration, production, and gas field development, is designed to make the sector more attractive through improved fiscal and regulatory measures.

"We are guided by a strong conviction: the future of Congo cannot rely solely on oil, it must also rely on gas," the minister said, adding that a new licensing round for oil and gas would be launched by the end of 2025, according to Reuters.

Brazzaville’s goal is to reduce dependence on crude oil and position itself as a future regional gas hub, in line with the global energy transition.

Official data show Congo holds proven gas reserves estimated at 10 trillion cubic feet (tcf), mainly in offshore fields such as Litchendjili, Nené, Minsala, and Nkala, within the Marine XII license operated by Eni’s Congolese subsidiary.

While awaiting parliamentary approval, the Italian major has already launched the country’s first floating LNG unit, FLNG Nguya, in 2024. Its capacity is expected to reach 3 million tons per year by the end of 2025. This has allowed Congo to join the small group of African LNG exporters, alongside Algeria, Nigeria, and Angola.

Natural gas plays a central role in Congo’s energy mix. According to the International Energy Agency, it accounted for 72% of the country’s power generation in 2022.