Ghana is positioning itself as a regional gas trading and distribution hub through a strategy built on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, expanded domestic production and cross-border energy infrastructure aimed at meeting growing demand while supplying neighbouring markets across West Africa.
The initiative is expected to strengthen energy security, support industrial growth and create new opportunities for regional energy trade as demand for natural gas continues to rise across the sub-region.
Speaking at the West Africa Gas Summit 2026 in Accra, Mr. Hamis Ussif, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), said Ghana’s future gas demand is projected to exceed available domestic supply despite ongoing investments to boost production from existing oil and gas fields.
According to GNPC projections, national gas demand could reach approximately 840 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) by 2030 and approach one billion cubic feet per day over the longer term, driven by growing electricity generation needs, industrial activity and economic expansion.
Mr. Ussif noted that while efforts were underway to increase investment in upstream gas production, natural declines from maturing fields would create supply gaps that domestic production alone would be unable to fill.
“We are working with partners to increase investment and production, but even with those efforts and imports from Nigeria, we are not going to be able to meet expected demand from domestic production alone,” he said.
The projected shortfall has reinforced the government’s decision to pursue LNG imports as a strategic component of Ghana’s long-term energy plan.
Central to that strategy is the Tema LNG Terminal, which is approximately 95 per cent complete and expected to play a critical role in securing additional gas supplies for power generation and industrial use.
The facility is designed to handle up to 400 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, significantly enhancing Ghana’s capacity to supplement domestic production and strengthen energy reliability.
Beyond meeting local demand, GNPC views the terminal as a regional asset capable of supporting energy supply across multiple West African countries.
The corporation is exploring opportunities to transport gas to Togo and Benin through the existing West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), while also evaluating LNG trucking and bunkering solutions to serve countries that lack direct pipeline infrastructure, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Mali.
Industry analysts believe the strategy could position Ghana as a key energy logistics and trading centre within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), generating additional revenue streams from gas distribution, storage and transportation services.
The initiative is also expected to attract private sector investment into energy infrastructure, logistics and industrial development while supporting efforts to improve regional energy integration.
Growing demand across West Africa further strengthens the business case for Ghana’s ambitions.
The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), operator of the regional pipeline network, reported record gas deliveries in 2025 and indicated that volumes have continued to rise in 2026 as economic activity and energy consumption expand across participating countries.
Energy experts say increased regional gas trade could help improve energy affordability, reduce fuel supply disruptions and support industrialisation efforts throughout the sub-region.
For Ghana, the strategy represents an opportunity to transform its geographic position and energy infrastructure into a competitive economic advantage, while strengthening its role in regional trade and energy security.
If successfully implemented, the LNG import programme and regional distribution network could become a major pillar of Ghana’s long-term industrialisation agenda and contribute significantly to economic growth, export earnings and job creation.
