From Vision to Reality: African Energy Chamber (AEC) G20 Forum to Discuss African Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Plans, Investment Prospects

As African countries move to advance clean cooking expansion across the continent, the upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum will offer a platform for nations to strengthen global partnerships, attract investment and establish regulatory frameworks that deliver clean, affordable energy access at scale. Positioning natural gas at the forefront of efforts to make energy poverty history, the G20 Forum – hosted by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) – will serve as a launchpad for clean energy adoption by connecting global capital with African projects and tackling key challenges to LPG uptake across the continent.

With over 900 million people living without access to clean cooking solutions in Africa, the continent has turned towards LPG to strengthened clean cooking supply chains. The G20 Forum will feature a panel discussion on this topic, with speakers exploring the continent’s investment needs, supply chain infrastructure and market development opportunities. Titled From Vision to Delivery: National Fuel & LPG Expansion Plans, the session will feature Titus Mathe, CEO of the South African National Energy Development Institute; Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners and Distributors Association; Sesakho Magagla, Interim CEO of PetroSA; and Tamsin Donaldson, Head of Communications and Public Relations at Petredec.

With over 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and a growing consumer and industrial base, Africa’s gas sector is well-positioned to become a vehicle for both energy access and clean cooking adoption. Governments and energy companies are already making strides towards strengthening LPG supply chains by investing in infrastructure that supports distribution, trade and access. Major developments include the Tanga LPG Terminal in Tanzania, led by Petredec and featuring a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters. The project will come online in 2027, positioning Tanzania as a central hub for LPG distribution in East Africa. Uganda’s LPG Cylinder Manufacturing Plant is also advancing, with 500,000 LPG-filled cylinders set to hit the market during the 2025/2026 financial year. In Kenya, talks are underway to construct a 30,000-ton LPG storage and bottling facility in Mombasa, while South Africa’s Transnet is pursing the country’s first LPG train system and intermodal storage hub.

These projects coincide with a drive by African nations to establish pro-investment policies. With the continent requiring up to $37 billion in investment by 2040 to achieve universal access to clean cooking, clear development targets will serve as a catalyst for attracting capital to the market. Zimbabwe plans to increase access from 38% to 70% and has removed Value Added Tax for LPG to incentivize trade; Angola anticipates a 31% increase in LPG demand by 2027 while Tanzania plans to provide 80% of its population with access to clean cooking solutions by 2034.

Stepping into this picture, the G20 Forum will unpack the changing dynamics of the continent’s LPG market. The session will explore what policy measures are most effective at overcoming the challenges of adopting LPG; how resources should be targeted toward sub-Saharan Africa to ensure equitable progress toward universal clean cooking access; and strategies for mobilizing the necessary private and public capital to build refineries and expand LPG storage. By placing African energy regulators and gas companies at the forefront of this discussion, the forum will reinforce the role LPG play in Africa’s broader energy transition, turning national visions into impactful, on-the-ground delivery.

“Africa’s LPG sector represents one of the continent’s most immediate and high-impact opportunities to expand clean, affordable energy access. But turning ambition into delivery requires a massive scale-up in investment – from building new refineries and storage terminals to upgrading distribution networks and strengthening last-mile access. With clear policies, transparent regulation and strong partnerships between governments, financiers and industry players, Africa can create an integrated LPG market that supports universal clean cooking, reduces emissions and drives economic growth across the value chain,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

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Africa Fact: Africans pioneered basic arithmetic 25,000 years ago. The Ishango bone is a tool handle with notches carved into it found in the Ishango region of Zaïre (now called Congo) near Lake Edward. The bone tool was originally thought to have been over 8,000 years old, but a more sensitive recent dating has given dates of 25,000 years old. On the tool are 3 rows of notches. Row 1 shows three notches carved next to six, four carved next to eight, ten carved next to two fives and finally a seven. The 3 and 6, 4 and 8, and 10 and 5, represent the process of doubling. Row 2 shows eleven notches carved next to twenty-one notches, and nineteen notches carved next to nine notches. This represents 10 + 1, 20 + 1, 20 – 1 and 10 – 1. Finally, Row 3 shows eleven notches, thirteen notches, seventeen notches and nineteen notches. 11, 13, 17 and 19 are the prime numbers between 10 and 20.