By Lee Nichols,

The continent is home to mega-scale projects on both its east and west coasts as its growing economies see rising demand for gas


Global gas demand is forecast to reach nearly 4.2tcm in 2025, according to the International Gas Union, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 70bcm. The rise is being led by various factors, including coal-to-gas switching for power generation, urbanisation, decarbonisation, trade and feedstock for growing datacentres.


These factors will continue to drive gas demand over the next few decades. For example, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum’s (GECF’s) Global Gas Outlook to 2050 forecasts that global gas demand will reach nearly 4.6tcm by 2030, surpass 5tcm by 2040 and increase to more than 5.3tcm by 2050 (see Fig.1). Consumption will be led by Asia and North America.


As demand for gas increases globally, hundreds of billions of dollars are being invested in gas processing plant infrastructure and LNG terminals. Global FLNG capacity is forecast to reach 42mt/yr by 2030, increasing to 55mt/yr by the mid-2030s, according to consultancy Rystad Energy.


Fig.1: Global natural gas demand outlook by region (bcm), 2030–2050. Source: GECF

At the time of publication, Gulf Energy Information’s Global Energy Infrastructure (GEI) database was tracking more than 310 active gas processing/LNG projects globally, totalling nearly $785b in capex. Most projects are in Asia, followed by the Middle East and the US. These three regions account for 64% of total active project market share, with the Asia-Pacific region accounting for nearly 30% alone (see Fig.2).


Fig.2: Total active gas processing/LNG project market share by region . Source: GEI database

Over the past decade, African gas demand has increased by roughly 60bcm/yr, reaching nearly 178bcm/yr in 2024, according to the Energy Institute. The rise in demand is primarily due to economic development and urbanisation, leading to an increased need for more electricity/power production. By 2050, African gas demand is forecast to reach 385bcm/yr, according to the GECF.


New gas discoveries and upstream investments are leading to additional spending on domestic gas and LNG infrastructure. Most project initiatives are focused on monetising the region’s vast reserves for domestic consumption, with surplus products exported to international markets.


Although Africa accounts for 11% of active gas processing/LNG project market share, the region’s total capital investments in the sector total more than $130b. This is primarily due to mega-scale LNG projects on both coasts in countries such as Nigeria, Mozambique, Mauritania, Senegal and Tanzania. These projects will help monetise domestic gas production and provide additional gas products for national and regional use.


Most active gas processing/LNG projects in Africa are in Nigeria and Mozambique. Active project market share for these nations is 29% and 18%, respectively.


Nigeria

Nigeria holds the largest gas reserves in Africa, and the country is working with international partners to monetise this resource to provide gas to the domestic market. The nation is investing in several projects, including both LNG terminal expansions and onshore processing facilities. These projects include:


The $6.5b Bonny Island T7 expansion project, which will boost the facility’s total production capacity from 22mt/yr to 30mt/yr. At the time of publication, the project was more than 80% complete. The project will help process additional gas production from the Shell-led HI gas project offshore Nigeria.


The expansion of the AHL gas processing plant and the construction of the ANOH gas processing plant. These projects will provide an additional 500mcf/d into the Nigerian gas market once completed. This gas will be used for power generation in the southeast of the country.


NNPC is working with various companies on the construction of five mini-LNG plants. These plants total nearly 100mcf/d of processing capacity. The produced natural gas will provide a cleaner and cheaper source of energy to households, industries and the country’s mobility sector.

Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) is also working with TotalEnergies on a $550m gas processing facility in the southern Rivers state. The facility will process gas produced from the Ubeta onshore gas field. Once treated, the gas will be sent to NLNG’s LNG plant.

Wison New Energies is developing a 3mt/yr FLNG vessel and 230MW power barge project. The FLNG vessel will be moored 10km offshore Nigeria. A portion of the received gas will be sent to a barge for power generation and to provide electricity to the LNG-operated gas assets and processing facilities in the Escravos and Forcados hub.


In late 2024, the Nigerian government initiated additional efforts to revive the Olokola LNG and Brass LNG projects. Collectively, these projects account for approximately $30b in total capital investments. However, at the time of publication, no movement had been made on these projects, although the Nigerian government announced in September 2025 that it is still committed to large-scale gas initiatives such as the Brass gas project. Gas and renewables projects are part of Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to increase the country’s economic development.


Mozambique

On the other side of the continent, Mozambique is also trying to develop its domestic gas sector. The country’s flagship project is the long-delayed $20b Mozambique LNG onshore terminal. The project has been plagued by various challenges, the most recent being safety issues regarding Islamic State-linked attacks in the country. However, the TotalEnergies-led project is expected to resume construction in 2026. The facility is expected to begin operations around 2029–30. ExxonMobil is also developing its own LNG onshore facility in the country. The $30b, 18mt/yr Rovuma LNG terminal will process gas from the consortium’s offshore operations.


11% – Africa’s share of active gas processing/LNG projects

In conjunction with upstream gas exploration and production and the midstream LNG terminal construction of ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, Mozambique’s state-owned ENH plans to use an FSRU to import gas from offshore operations while onshore terminals are built. The vessel will be moored at the Port of Beira and be connected to the nearly 538-mile Rompco pipeline. This project will link gas from Mozambique’s fields to both the domestic market and South Africa—the Rompco pipeline is a joint venture between the Mozambican and South African governments, with Sasol holding a minority stake.