Back in the early days of the Ukraine war (2022), I posted on Facebook urging the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines and Energy and then-Minister Takele Uma to urgently explore building a liquefaction plant for large-scale LNG production from our massive natural gas reserves in South Omo and Ogaden.
At that time I said: “This is Ethiopia’s moment to step up, develop our resources, and position ourselves in the global energy market when traditional supplies are disrupted.”
That call was important then… but today, the opportunity is HISTORIC and URGENT!
Ethiopia with a Proven/certified reserves often around 2.6–7 Tcf (e.g., 2.6 Tcf proven with total potential up to 6.9 Tcf in some 2025 reports; others reference 7 Tcf certified for Calub & Hilala combined has a potential to export LNG worth 3-billion USD annually for 20 years or so.
NOW, with the ongoing war between the US/Israel and Iran:
. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, blocking ~20% of the world’s oil and gas supply routes.
. Qatar, the world’s largest LNG exporter has suspended production after Iranian drone strikes caused a major fire at their facilities (Ras Laffan, the biggest liquefaction plant on Earth).
. Russian gas exports remain halted due to the continuing Ukraine war.
. In Europe, natural gas prices have skyrocketed by over 60% in just three days (some reports say even higher surges in futures), leaving a massive supply gap and energy crisis looming.
This is Ethiopia’s golden window to change history!
Our Ogaden basin has already proven huge reserves, and exciting developments are underway (like the recent inauguration of the first phase of the Ogaden CNG project in Calub with production starting). But we must accelerate FAST — build full-scale industrial liquefaction capacity, ramp up extraction, and export LNG to fill the global void.
At this very moment-in-time, the MoM and respective stakeholders shall immediately act to:
* Initiate high-level negotiations with European countries (especially Germany, which is desperate for non-Russian, non-Middle Eastern gas alternatives).
* Seek fast-track partnerships, financing, and technology for expanded liquefaction plants and export infrastructure.
Turn this crisis into Ethiopia’s economic breakthrough — creating jobs, earning foreign exchange, boosting our GDP, and securing energy independence. Ethiopia has the resources. The world has the demand. The timing could not be better.
Ethiopia has to seize this extraordinary moment! Don’t let it pass. History will remember who acted boldly when the world needed energy security most.
Dear friends anyone who reads this, please tag officials in the comment box or share the post, and let’s raise our voiceI!
