The Sleeping Field: How One LNG Project Could Redefine East Africa’s Energy Future

After years of silence, Mozambique’s northern coastline is stirring again. TotalEnergies and its partners are preparing to restart one of Africa’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects — a venture once frozen by conflict, uncertainty, and global economic shifts.

The $20 billion project in Cabo Delgado was meant to transform Mozambique into a key global energy exporter. But in 2021, a wave of insurgent violence in the region forced the French energy giant to suspend operations, leaving half-built infrastructure and frozen optimism behind. Now, with security gradually improving and global gas demand surging after Russia’s war in Ukraine, the project is finding a new rhythm.

TotalEnergies, alongside Japan’s Mitsui and India’s ONGC, is reportedly finalizing assessments to resume operations as early as 2026. For Mozambique, this restart represents more than an energy play — it’s a test of resilience, governance, and trust in a region that has paid dearly for its resources.

Analysts see the timing as both strategic and sensitive. The global LNG market is tight, and Europe’s hunger for non-Russian gas has redrawn trade routes. Mozambique, with its vast offshore reserves, now sits at the intersection of energy security and geopolitical recalibration. If successful, the project could supply up to 13 million tons of LNG per year — enough to shift the balance of Africa’s energy exports.

Yet, the challenges remain formidable. Stability in Cabo Delgado is fragile, with sporadic violence still reported. Environmental concerns and community displacement also linger as reminders that extraction often brings disruption as much as development.

Still, TotalEnergies appears determined to rewrite the story. Its executives have emphasized community engagement and security cooperation as preconditions for a sustainable return. “It’s not just about gas,” one spokesperson said recently. “It’s about rebuilding confidence.”

For Mozambique, that may be the truest measure of progress — not in barrels or billions, but in whether prosperity can take root where conflict once thrived

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Sources: This article is based on reporting from Reuters, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and The Africa Report