OGRepublic August Edition

AFRICAN ENERGY STORIES
GECF Unveils Plan to Deepen
Gas Development in Africa
By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
AFREC, APPO, and the Africa Energy Chamber
(AEC).
While speaking about the recent developments
in Africa’s gas industry, he highlighted that there
are more than 74 million mt/year of LNG export
capacity to be approved in the Sub Saharan
region by 2030, provided that all the conditions
are met.
Yury Sentyurin, Secretary-General of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)
The Gas Exporting Countries Forum
(GECF) has unveiled plans to
promote gas development in the
African oil and gas industry to overcome
energy poverty, enhance growth and
mitigate CO2 emissions pollution in the
continent.
His Excellency Yury Sentyurin, Secretary-
General of GECF, made this disclosure
recently in an exclusive interview with our
correspondent, as part of their efforts to
foster stronger cooperation with African
countries.
He explained that Africa dominates the
GECF agenda and there are at least six
African countries represented in the forum
out of its nineteen member countries,
accounting for more than 90% of Africa’s
proven natural gas reserves.
He noted that during his tenure since 2018,
Angola has joined the Forum as a new
member and this confirms that Africa
holds a strong footprint in the global gas
sector.
He continued, “That same year, Africa
gained a new elevation in the world of
energy at the Russia-Africa Summit, held in
October 2019 in Sochi, Russia, and cohosted
by Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-
Sisi, with the attendance of 43 heads of
state or government.
“As the world is progressing to increase energy
access and fulfil the UN Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) #7, to ensure access
to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern
energy for all, there is still an estimated 548
million people in sub-Saharan Africa, or 53% of
the population without access to electricity,
according to the United Nations. Further, nearly
789 million Africans currently have no access to
clean cooking.
“This enthusiasm and belief in Africa’s energy
potential are not unfounded or without merit.
Projections from the latest available iteration of
the GECF’s Global Gas Outlook 2050 show that
Africa will witness the highest growth rate of
natural gas among all regions of the world, at
nearly 150% up to 2050.
“Countries such as Senegal and Mauritania in
Africa stand on the precipice of the league of
gas exporters in the short-term, while
Mozambique and Tanzania are expected to
become natural gas exporters in the long-term.
“The GECF’s first Annual Short-Term Gas Market
Report (2020) shows, Africa boasts a number of
promising growth factors, such as in the area of
power generation, in transport through natural
gas vehicles (NGVs), and investments.”
In another development, Yury said that GECF is
working to foster stronger partnerships with
other Africa-based organisations such as
In his words, “Mozambique alone took FID on
3.3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) in 2017
followed by a further 13 mtpa in 2019. The first
project is expected to be commissioned in 2022,
and the second one will enable LNG flows from
Mozambique to the world by 2024-25.
“Newmarket players are rising with the
discovery of huge gas reserves in Tanzania,
Gabon, Mauritania, Congo, Senegal, and
Cameroon that are likely to support an
ambitious gas master-plan for the domestic
consumption as well as LNG exports.
“I believe our multi-faceted efforts are bearing
fruit and this was evidenced at the last GECF
Ministerial Meeting, held in November 2020.
“The 22nd GECF Ministerial Meeting was
hosted (virtually) by Algeria and welcomed the
participation of ministers and top authorities
from several guest African countries who
delivered their key messages on the energy
sector and gas market in particular, including
from Mozambique, Tanzania, Tunisia, and
Senegal.”
The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is an
international governmental organisation that
provides the framework for exchanging
experience and information among Member
Countries. The GECF is a gathering of the world’s
leading gas exporting countries and was set up
as an international governmental organisation
with the objective to increase the level of
coordination and strengthen the collaboration
among Member Countries.
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