By: Logistics update Africa

Energy ministers from several African LNG exporting nations will convene in Paris on the 22-23 April at the Invest in African Energy Forum, to present the continent’s gas capacity as a stable supply option for European buyers seeking diversification in gas procurement.

Delegations from Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and the Republic of Congo will participate in the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris.

Discussions will focus on securing long term offtake agreements, attracting upstream capital and strengthening LNG trade links between Africa and European utilities.

European gas buyers have intensified LNG procurement strategies since Russian pipeline flows declined sharply in recent years.

Utilities across the continent have increasingly prioritised diversified supply portfolios to stabilise energy security and reduce exposure to supply volatility across traditional pipeline networks.

Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea

Nigeria continues to represent Africa’s largest LNG supplier to European import terminals. Cargo flows from the Nigeria LNG complex have historically supplied Mediterranean and Atlantic basin regasification hubs under a combination of long term contracts and spot cargo transactions.

Portugal sources more than half of its LNG imports from Nigerian production, while Spain remains one of the most significant European destinations for Nigerian cargoes. Iberian terminals therefore function as major entry points for African LNG into the European gas network.

Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 expansion programme is expected to increase export capacity during the second half of the decade. Additional liquefaction capacity could strengthen Nigeria’s role as a core supplier for Europe’s long term LNG procurement strategies.

Equatorial Guinea also maintains stable LNG exports through the Punta Europa facility. Upstream development activity, including the Chevron operated Aseng Gas Project, is designed to secure additional feedstock volumes to support continued export shipments and domestic gas utilisation.

Shorter maritime routes between West Africa and European regasification terminals provide freight cost advantages compared with shipments from more distant LNG exporters. Reduced transit times also lower insurance costs and increase supply flexibility for European buyers.

New LNG capacity emerging

The Republic of Congo is expanding LNG export capacity through the Congo LNG development. Phase two of the project, built around floating liquefaction infrastructure, is expected to raise export capacity to approximately three million tonnes annually.

Floating LNG technology enables faster deployment and modular expansion compared with conventional onshore liquefaction plants. Project developers estimate that this approach can accelerate time to market and reduce CapEx requirements.

Senegal is also emerging as a new LNG exporter following the start of production at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project developed jointly with Mauritania. Initial LNG cargoes shipped during 2025, establishing Senegal as a new supplier within the Atlantic Basin gas trade.

Further production phases at Greater Tortue Ahmeyim could add several million tonnes per year of liquefaction capacity as the project ramps up output.

African LNG producers are expected to emphasise geographic positioning and supply reliability during the Paris forum discussions.

Cargo shipments from West and Central Africa avoid several major maritime chokepoints and can reach European import terminals within relatively short sailing windows.

Ministers attending the forum will seek to translate European interest into concrete investment commitments, upstream financing arrangements and multi year LNG offtake contracts.