Nigeria’s international liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries rose by 30 percent between January and October, adding about five billion cubic metres (bcm) to global supply, as improved feedgas availability boosted supplies to global LNG export market.
According to an analysis of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Gas Security 2026 report, the increase, which took deliveries to their highest level since 2020, comes as global LNG trade dropped by about 11 bcm within the first 10 months of the year. This opened a market that Nigeria’s gas sector could tap into.
“LNG deliveries rose by around 30 percent y-o-y between January and October to their highest level since 2020, supported by improved feedgas availability and greater prioritisation of supply to the liquefaction complex,” the IEA wrote in its report.
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The additional volumes also lifted utilisation at Nigeria LNG’s six-train liquefaction complex above 80 percent, indicating that improved gas availability also translated into higher output from existing infrastructure.
The country’s increase was among the largest recorded by established LNG suppliers during the period. Other countries like Malaysia added about 4 bcm, representing a 14 percent increase.
North America accounted for 85 percent of additional volumes supplied. Other existing producers contributed a combined volume of 16 bcm. However, Nigeria and Malaysia were the largest contributors to international supply within the period.
But while Nigeria’s supply rose to meet the demands of the international market in the face of the US-Iran war, domestic markets did not show such strong positive results.
The IEA report highlighted that although gas supplied to the domestic market increased in the first half of 2026, it met only about 65 percent of producers’ domestic supply obligations.
The shortfall was attributed to “persistent infrastructure, payment and market constraints”.
The report noted that Nigeria’s gas demand is expected to increase by about two percent in 2026, driven mainly by power generation, followed by fertiliser and petrochemical production, industrial heat, and the oil & gas sector.
“Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest gas-consuming country, with demand set to increase by around 2 percent y-o-y in 2026. Demand is led by power generation, followed by fertiliser and petrochemical production, industrial heat and the oil and gas sector,” the IEA noted.
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But Nigeria’s increase in LNG deliveries only forms part of a wider expansion in African gas supply. The IEA forecasts that the continent’s production will rise to 248 bcm in 2026, up from 240 bcm a year ago on the back of growing demand.
According to the report, gas consumption will increase by five percent to 186 bcm in 2026 from 178 bcm over the same period a year ago, due to rising needs from players in the power sector.
“Africa’s natural gas demand is set to increase by around 5 percent y-o-y in 2026, accounting for 4 percent of global consumption. It grew by 1.7 percent per year from 2020 to 2025, supported by population and electricity demand growth and industrial development,” the report noted.
Consumption will also be influenced by industrial users, including fertiliser, petrochemical, cement and metals producers, who continually need gas for business operations.
“Power generation is the largest source of demand, followed by industry – notably fertilisers, petrochemicals, cement and process heat – and the energy sector,” the IEA said.
Feyishola Jaiyesimi is a writer and storyteller. She currently writes for the energy desk at BusinessDay with a focus on renewable energy and environmental issues. She began her journalism career as an agricultural reporter and now covers the energy sector, including oil, gas, electricity, environment, and renewables. She has been selected for professional training by the US Consulate, Lagos. She is a 2025 Dataphyte Biodiversity Reporting Fellow. Feyishola holds a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Environmental Biology from Ekiti State University.
