The start of non-associated gas production at the Quiluma and Maboqueiro (Q&M) fields in 2025 marks a critical milestone in this transition, raising a broader question for the market: can Angola successfully build a domestic gas economy capable of transforming long-term growth prospects, and what policy and investment mechanisms will be required to make that shift commercially viable?

These questions will take center stage at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition - taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day on September 8 - during the panel discussion titled Anchoring Growth: The Hidden Opportunity in Building an Angolan Gas Economy. The session will bring together policymakers, operators and investors to assess how domestic gas development can diversify revenue streams, strengthen energy security and unlock industrial growth beyond the petroleum sector. The discussion also comes as Angola moves from gas planning into execution, with major infrastructure and upstream projects now entering operational phases.

At the center of Angola’s gas strategy is the Angola LNG project - operational since 2012 - and the recently commissioned Q&M fields - developed by the New Gas Consortium (NGC). Representing Angola’s first non-associated gas project, the NGC development supplies gas to an onshore liquefaction plant in Soyo, which provides feedstock for the Angola LNG facility. The project was commissioned in 2025, with first gas delivery achieved in March 2026. Initial output is projected at 150 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), with the partners eyeing 330 mmscf/d by the end of 2026.

Strategically, the project establishes a foundation for Angola to move beyond associated gas production and develop dedicated gas infrastructure capable of supporting power generation, industrial projects and petrochemical industries. This foundation is further strengthened by Angola’s first dedicated gas discovery - made at the Gajajeira-01 well at Block 1/14 in 2025. Situated in the Lower Congo Basin, the discovery revealed estimated reserves of up to one trillion cubic feet.

Taken together, these milestones stand to reshape Angola’s oil and gas market by positioning non-associated gas as a catalyst for domestic growth. This shift is closely tied to the country’s long-term energy objectives, with the government targeting natural gas to account for 25% of the country’s energy mix. To support this transition, Angola approved its Gas Master Plan in late 2024, establishing a framework for the sustainable development of the sector. The plan projects $40 billion in investments to deliver $150 billion in economic benefits. It also seeks to create a more integrated domestic gas market by improving regulatory clarity and encouraging private sector participation.

However, achieving these ambitions will require substantial investment and coordinated policy execution. Infrastructure remains one of the sector’s primary constraints, particularly in gas transportation, storage and distribution. Expanding gas penetration beyond LNG exports will depend on Angola’s ability to stimulate industrial consumption, support gas-fired power generation and develop downstream manufacturing capacity capable of absorbing supply.

This is where AOG 2026 comes in. Through targeted discussions, the conference will not only examine upstream growth in Angola, but the structural reforms and investment conditions required to scale domestic utilization.