Nigeria has retained its position as one of the world’s leading exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as global LNG trade climbed to a record 437 million tonnes in 2025, according to the World LNG Report 2026 released by the International Gas Union (IGU).
The report showed that Nigeria exported 14.78 million tonnes of LNG during the year, up by one million tonnes from 2024. The increase secured the country’s place as the seventh-largest LNG exporter globally, accounting for 3.4 per cent of worldwide LNG shipments.
Nigeria ranked behind the United States, Qatar, Australia, Russia, Malaysia and Indonesia, while maintaining its position as Africa’s biggest LNG exporter.
Across the continent, Africa’s LNG exports rose to 39.77 million tonnes in 2025, supported by stronger output from Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique and the newly operational Mauritania-Senegal LNG project. However, weaker exports from Algeria and Egypt slowed the pace of growth.
Globally, LNG trade expanded by 6.3 per cent compared to the previous year, driven by increased production from major exporting countries, including the United States, Qatar, Malaysia, Angola and Nigeria. Canada and the Mauritania-Senegal project also entered the global LNG export market during the year.
The United States remained the world’s largest LNG exporter after shipping 110.74 million tonnes, followed by Qatar with 81.51 million tonnes and Australia with 80.32 million tonnes. Together, the three countries supplied more than 60 per cent of global LNG exports.
On the demand side, Europe recorded the strongest growth in LNG imports as countries sought alternative gas supplies and rebuilt storage levels. Asia remained the largest LNG-importing region overall despite lower purchases by major buyers such as China and India.
The report also highlighted Africa’s growing importance in future LNG development, noting that the continent has over 121 million tonnes per annum of proposed liquefaction projects awaiting final investment decisions. Mozambique accounts for the largest share of the planned capacity through several major gas developments.
According to the IGU, investor confidence in the LNG sector remained strong, with 68.4 million tonnes per annum of new liquefaction capacity receiving final investment approval in 2025, the highest annual level since 2019.
Looking ahead, the organisation projected that global LNG production capacity under operation and construction would exceed 700 million tonnes by 2030, driven by rising electricity demand, industrial growth, urbanisation and the need for more diverse energy sources.
The report added that ongoing geopolitical tensions have reinforced the importance of expanding LNG supply from different regions, creating further opportunities for African producers, including Nigeria, to play a larger role in meeting global energy demand.
