Africa Must Harness Integration to Unlock Gas Resources

Africa's natural gas resources are vast, but the continent's ability to derive lasting economic value from them will depend on its capacity for integration.

This was the message delivered by Akachukwu Adeyinka Nwokedi, the International Gas Union (IGU) Regional Coordinator for Africa, at Africa Oil Week (AOW:Energy) 2026 in Accra, Ghana.

Nwokedi emphasized that while individual countries developing their gas resources may increase LNG production and exports, this approach would not necessarily address the continent's significant energy deficit or maximize the economic benefits of its gas resources.

The IGU Africa Coordinator argued that regional integration could enable African countries to develop larger and more reliable markets, improve investment confidence, reduce infrastructure duplication, and create the scale required for commercially viable gas projects.