To move away from depending on Russian energy, Europe is increasingly turning to Africa for its natural gas imports. Though the potential is there, low supply and serious bottlenecks stand in the way.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is forcing Europe to diversify its energy supply. "Germany and Europe must now quickly make up for what they have missed over the last twenty years," Stefan Liebing, chairperson of the German-African Business Association, said in a press release. He advised Germany's Economics Minister Robert Habeck to travel to African countries such as Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt and Angola, which could help free Europe from its dependence on Russian gas.

Algeria is the tenth-largest gas producer globally. Cargos of liquefied natural gas — also known as LNG — exported in 2021 were largely destined for the European markets. This makes Algeria one of the top five LNG exporters to Europe.

Algeria's shortcomings
Since the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, Algeria has expressed a willingness to increase natural gas exports and LNG. However, according to Alice Gower, director of geopolitics and security at London-based think tank Azure Strategy, Algeria's reserves are at rock bottom. "Earlier this year, Algeria's state-owned oil and gas group Sonatrach announced a [$40 billion, €36 billion] major investment package for a five-year period, but that doesn't mean Algeria can step in right now in the short term," Gower told DW.

The two lead energy operators, Spain's Naturgy and Algeria's Sonatrach, could increase the capacity of the Medgaz pipeline with little effort. The pipeline connects Algeria directly to Spain. But Algeria doesn't even have the capacity to fill it with enough Algerian gas, Gower said.

The expert said Algeria could potentially have a completely different alternative to pump more liquefied gas to Spain and Portugal with the high-capacity Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (MEG).

But that pipeline runs through Morocco. Last October, political tensions between Algiers and Rabat led to the contract between Sonatrach and the Moroccan Energy Ministry not being renewed. The main problem for Algeria in this regard, according to Gower, was that Algiers did not agree to pay 10% of gas revenues as a fee to the Kingdom of Morocco, as it had in the past.

Egypt prefers China
On the other side of northern Africa, Egypt had the largest year-on-year export growth in 2021, according to a report by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). 1.4 million tons of LNG in the second quarter compared to zero LNG exports in the same period last year. At the same time, LNG is also the only gas Egypt currently exports, as the country is not currently connected to a European pipeline network.

The gas supply situation fluctuates. "Currently, Egypt is also running out of LNG export capacity," Gower said. However, for Egypt, it is much more about the economic aspect at the moment. According to Gower, China has offered the country long-term contracts on good terms. So for Egypt, it makes sense to continue to be a reliable supplier and maintain its Chinese market share.

According to the statistics portal statista.com, Libya's natural gas reserves in 2020 amounted to around 1.4 billion cubic meters. However, the country is so politically divided that it does not even appear on the list of countries exporting to Germany.

Even if Libyan gas was available, the infrastructure is insufficient to boost exports, let alone receive the payments. Thus, Libya would drop out as a substitute supplier of Russian gas to Germany or Europe.

NIGAL gas pipeline project revived
A mega-gas project in Nigeria is raising hopes for more gas imports for Europeans: Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria have agreed on constructing the 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) long Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline — also known as NIGAL. According to media reports, once the estimated $21 billion pipeline is complete, it will transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Algeria, connecting to the existing network to Europe.

The idea is not new, but for a long time, the security situation in the Sahel region and tensions between the governments of Algiers and Niamey did not allow the project to go ahead. As a result, it wasn't until 2021 that Algeria and Niger reopened their border. Since then, the pipeline construction has been revived.

No quick fix for Europe's gas demand
In 2019, Europe imported about 108 billion cubic meters of LNG, of which more than 12 billion came from Nigeria, Khadi Camara of the German-African Business Association, told DW.

Africa's biggest oil producer is among the top ten countries with the most gas reserves globally. "They have more reserves than needed for their own market and are therefore predestined for export," Camara said.

But while Nigeria already plays an important role in the European gas market, there are bottlenecks there, too, he said. In 2021, the country was unable to meet its target. The infrastructure hardly allows for further production, and there is always the question of efficiency and reliability.

Camara says long-term investment and a strategic partnership are needed for Germany and Nigeria to cooperate more closely on gas. "That's where Nigeria probably can't be a 'quick fix' to our acute [gas] problem, but rather help Germany diversify in energy sources for the future."

And that path is far from over. By the time the transition to renewables is achieved, other African countries, such as Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania, could become key natural gas suppliers for Europe.

https://m.dw.com/en/europe-looks-to-africa-to-fill-natural-gas-gap/a-61017873

I hope you''re learning more about the gas transportation plan from Nigeria through Algeria to Europe SavageResponse. Don't contend in knowledge with your elders

Hmmm... Remember who said this first, that Europe will look to Africa to offset the imbalance their own sanction on Russia will bring to them. I told you guys that their only alternative is to overexploit African resources beyond normal, just like a cow overgrazing a field. They won't care about the repercussion on Africans future.

Honestly you people are lucky to be getting my comments free of charge on this forum.

Now is the time to remember that all of you in Africa are slaves to the West. Time for Ndigbo to protect what they have with any means necessary.

Nigeria right now

Himtulie247:
Nigeria right now

They won't pay. Read my comment above or ask yourself why Nigeria is complaining of lower income on oil despite the increase in oil price.

Learn to understand what Africa is to the West. Africa is a disposable diaper to the West.

BKayy:
Hmmm... Remember who said this first, that Europe will look to Africa to offset the imbalance their own sanction on Russia will bring to them. I told you guys that their only alternative is to overexploit African resources beyond normal, just like a cow overgrazing a field. They won't care about the repercussion on Africans future.

Honestly you people are lucky to be getting my comments free of charge on this forum.

Now is the time to remember that all of you in Africa are slaves to the West. Time for Ndigbo to protect what they have with any means necessary.

This guy....

Biafran special forces and Niger Delta avengers will ensure this does not happen.

Freedom first then we can do trade.

Black slave worshippers aka politicians,will loot the entire money European countries pay for African gas.

These shameless monkeys and their children will invest and spend the same money in Europe and America .

So net net Europe will get the gas for free and Neo colonization of Africa continues .

BKayy:
Hmmm... Remember who said this first, that Europe will look to Africa to offset the imbalance their own sanction on Russia will bring to them. I told you guys that their only alternative is to overexploit African resources beyond normal, just like a cow overgrazing a field. They won't care about the repercussion on Africans future.

Honestly you people are lucky to be getting my comments free of charge on this forum.

Now is the time to remember that all of you in Africa are slaves to the West. Time for Ndigbo to protect what they have with any means necessary.

I see......
We should conduct strict trade policies with them in Alaigbo,before the worst can happen.....

Danzysb:

I see......
We should conduct strict trade policies with them in Alaigbo,before the worst can happen.....

You lack the capacity to do such. It would have been possible if Alaigbo was an independent country or have a degree of recognition or sympathy from atleast the opposition bloc.
But the idiocy of most of our people by not seeing the hand writing on the wall has made it impossible. And by idiots, I have special reservation for the goats that carry Israel flag up and down.

If the vampire that is coming to suck this resources is in a human form, it's neck is the state of Israel.

BKayy:

You lack the capacity to do such. It would have been possible if Alaigbo was an independent country or have a degree of recognition or sympathy from atleast the opposition bloc.
But the idiocy of most of our people by not seeing the hand writing on the wall has made it impossible. And by idiots, I have speacil reservation for the goats that carry Israel flag up and down.

If the vampire that is coming to suck this resources is in a human form, it's neck is the state of Israel.

What role does Israel have in this?

Because of African leaders greed and shorrsighted,this might likely turn out, to be a downward turn on the economy of that continent, if they are not careful.

Lol

SeeThisLoser:
Biafran special forces and Niger Delta avengers will ensure this does not happen.

Freedom first then we can do trade.

You insulted me in one of your earlier comments, but I’m liking this your comment. I ready join Niger Delta avengers though I be Woman. The Northerners can not have our gas.

Which Africa? Abeg make una go look for solutions elsewhere. We are not ready yet. Africa is somehow a useless continent

Should Nigeria refuse to look eastwards come 2023 for her presidency, we will make sure, no drop of gas leaves Ala-Igbo

BKayy:
Hmmm... Remember who said this first, that Europe will look to Africa to offset the imbalance their own sanction on Russia will bring to them. I told you guys that their only alternative is to overexploit African resources beyond normal, just like a cow overgrazing a field. They won't care about the repercussion on Africans future.

Honestly you people are lucky to be getting my comments free of charge on this forum.

Now is the time to remember that all of you in Africa are slaves to the West. Time for Ndigbo to protect what they have with any means necessary.

Mr chestbeater, you don't come off any differently from your usual bumptiousness. There are over 10 African Countries sitting pretty ontop a trillion cubic of gas reserves. And when we talk about Nigeria, the first port of call are Delta and Bayelsa. As we speak, we can't be bothered about the lighter of gas you have at your backyard as long as others have it much more in abundance. Same goes for your cup of crude oil, it comes with the lowest quantity and the lowest amount of production.

[s]

PressMyButton:

Mr chestbeater, you don't come off any differently from your usual bumptiousness. There are over 10 African Countries sitting pretty ontop a trillion cubic of gas reserves. And when we talk about Nigeria, the first port of call are Delta and Bayelsa. As we speak, we can't be bothered about the lighter of gas you have at your backyard as long as others have it much more in abundance. Same goes for your cup of crude oil, it comes with the lowest quantity and the lowest amount of production.

[/s]
My attention is not for fools

Time for Africa leaders to come together and think.
We have the resources and the Europeans need it.
We can start by making them pay for their in Libya, Congo, CAR and Rwanda.
Set up Africa bank controlled by Africans and set up our own SWIFT by introducing my own currency

BKayy:
[s][/s]
My attention is not for fools

Nigeria - Morocco gas project had been an existing initiative before the first lighter of gas was found in Imo. The fact is that, Imo gas is primarily to serve domestic purposes to complement shortfalls, it is well detailed in SEPLAT-NNPC blueprint. If need be, gas from ohaji will only be a feeder to the original gas pipeline. Stop fooling yourself kid, your attention is worthless to a fool.

Naija don hammer

BKayy:
[s][/s]
My attention is not for fools

No one needs ur attention.ur attention doesn't mean anything.The aim of someone quoting u is to make sure he gets his msg accross to u.The fact that u think someone mention u is to get ur useless attention makes u a big fat fool. A useless bastard with no self-esteem coming online to chestbeat.I pity the LovePeddler that begot u.

ObamaMessi:
No one needs ur attention.ur attention doesn't mean anything.The aim of someone quoting u is to make sure he gets his msg accross to u.The fact that u think someone mention u is to get ur useless attention makes u a big fat fool. A useless bastard with no self-esteem coming online to chestbeat.I pity the LovePeddler that begot u.

If you think coming online to find solace from the frustration life is giving you then you are mistaking.
The depression you are facing is out of the joint generational curse following the LovePeddler you call mother.

It is natural that after her frustrating life as a cum dumpsite, you are designed to walk the face of the earth, frustrated, rejected by nature and bound to suffer as you are going through until you decide to end it yourself.

Remain in misery.

I hope it's not Nigeria's huge gas reserve they want to exploit

People from the eastern part of the country should resist them.

Enough of this neocolonialism and over exploitation of Africa natural resources

The West should go and sort their differences with Russia

PressMyButton:

Nigeria - Morocco gas project had been an existing initiative before the first lighter of gas was found in Imo. The fact is that, Imo gas is primarily to serve domestic purposes to complement shortfalls, it is well detailed in SEPLAT-NNPC blueprint. If need be, gas from ohaji will only be a feeder to the original gas pipeline. Stop fooling yourself kid, your attention is worthless to a fool.

Dont mind that stupid boy.u are way above him in every spere.What do he call himself? BKayy ko na him mama yansh ni.

ObamaMessi:
Dont mind that stupid boy.u are way above him in every spere.What do he call himself? BKayy ko na him mama yansh ni.

I think I hit a nerve.

As for follow up. Always remember that what you are passing through is your destiny in life.

BKayy:

I think I hit a nerve.

As for follow up. Always remember that what you are passing through is your destiny in life.

Chuckles.I pity fools who lunatic parent begot like this scumbag am quoting.Born in idiocy and ignorance and raised in foolishness and poverty.U just prove that ur harlot mother's bride price was a waste if at all the dog that messed her dirty smelling vagina presented any herb in respect to that.And until u can define DESTINY, get otta my mention, I COMMANB YOU!

ObamaMessi:
Chuckles.I pity fools who lunatic parent begot like this scumbag am quoting.Born in idiocy and ignorance and raised in foolishness and poverty.U just prove that ur harlot mother's bride price was a waste if at all the dog that messed her dirty smelling vagina presented any herb in respect to that.And untill u can define DESTINY, get otta my mention, I COMMANB YOU!

You could have described your mother without including all the details.

Only deep experience can make this kind of spotless description. You were such an observing son

BKayy:

You could have described my mother without including all the details.

Only deep experience can make this kind of spotless description. You were such an observing guy to be able to describe my mother.Thank you boss.

I say get out of my mention u useless stinking son of a bastard.

ObamaMessi:
I say get out of my mention u useless stinking son of a bastard.

Lol, You qouted me first my dear Idiot. My comments are mere replies to your misery.

Next time, know the kind of handle you intend to pour your frustration on

BKayy:

Lol, You qouted me first my fellow Idiot. My comments are mere replies to your misery.

Next time, know the kind of handle you intend to pour your frustration on

I'm not ur fellow idiot.I dnt want to finish u that is why I'm warning u before coz if provoke me, the war in ukraine will be child's play.