Gas Union Supports African Market Integration to Strengthen Energy Security

Stoies Peter Uzoho 

The International Gas Union (IGU) has urged West Africa to adopt unified regional cooperation, accelerate cross‑border infrastructure projects, and harmonize regulations in order to unlock the region’s extensive natural gas resources and drive long‑term economic transformation.

IGU Regional Coordinator for Africa, Mr. Akachukwu Nwokedi, delivered the message during his opening keynote address at the 2026 West Africa Gas Summit in Accra, Ghana, where he spoke on behalf of IGU President Andrea Stegher.

Speaking to an international delegation of policymakers, regulators, and energy executives, Nwokedi observed that the global energy landscape is being reshaped by shifting alliances, supply‑chain realignments, and heightened resource competition. He noted that recent global disruptions—such as tensions in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz crisis—have accelerated Africa’s emergence as a vital strategic gas supply alternative.

However, Nwokedi warned that the continent must move beyond fragmented national markets to protect itself from risk and fully seize these new global opportunities.

“No single country—regardless of its resource endowment—can independently unlock the full potential of its gas sector. But together, through coordinated policies, shared infrastructure, and integrated markets, the countries of West Africa can build the scale and resilience required to compete effectively. In this environment, energy security means more than ever for the region—it means economic sovereignty,” he said.