West Africa LNG Eyes Regional Gas Supply as Guinea-Conakry Terminal Progresses
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Guinea-Conakry is home to the world's largest bauxite reserves, and the government is now mandating local alumina processing, creating significant new demand for industrial energy. Cem Hacioglu, President and CEO of West Africa LNG Group, has spent nearly a decade developing an LNG import terminal to supply that demand. He spoke with Energy Capital & Power, organizers of MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, about the project's progress and the broader opportunity for gas infrastructure in the region. Hacioglu will join the speaker lineup at MSGBC 2026 in Dakar this December.
What makes Guinea's energy landscape attractive for LNG investment right now?
Cem Hacioglu: Guinea is at an inflection point. It is one of the world's richest mineral countries but at the same time economically one of the poorest. It has the world's largest bauxite resources, but historically much of that product has been exported outside the country, leaving Guinea and the Guinean people without the full economic benefits of their mineral resources. This has changed because the government is making a strong push toward processing bauxite within the country, turning it into alumina. Alumina refineries require a great deal of energy, and natural gas is a perfect option to provide a reliable and competitive source of that energy. Our project is an LNG receiving terminal to address this very issue: to bring commercial quantities of competitively priced natural gas into the country.
Where does the project stand today, and what are the key milestones ahead?
Cem Hacioglu: Our entire purpose right now is to create a bankable project. Without bankability, none of this really happens. A need can be there, it could be clear, but if the economic realities don't support the funding, the project will not go anywhere. We conducted a USTDA-funded feasibility study in the 2021-22 timeframe that established the technical and economic feasibility of the project. In more recent years we've been working closely with DFC to fund project development activities. We are hoping to announce a formal agreement with DFC in the upcoming weeks and months, followed by project development activities which will hopefully lead to a final investment decision toward the end of 2027.
How does West Africa LNG position itself within the wider regional picture, particularly as developments like GTA come online?
Cem Hacioglu: We look at the region with great interest because whenever you can create a regional opportunity rather than a single-country opportunity, it becomes much more compelling for financing partners, whether development finance institutions or private capital. Being able to source product from regional partners and shorten the distance is very important for the financial profile of any project. We like to talk about our project as a potential offtaker from regional developments. I am razor focused on delivering the first molecule of LNG to Guinea, which is always the most critical part of any project. But once we do that, the opportunities for collaboration with our friends in the region are tremendous.
What conversations need to be happening at MSGBC 2026?
Cem Hacioglu: I think Africa is at a crossroads. We will look back ten or fifteen years from now and identify this period as the period where the world finally woke up to the potential of Africa. Platforms like MSGBC are critically important because they highlight success stories and let people know these opportunities exist, which in turn helps activate the financing mechanisms needed to turn those opportunities into reality. I look forward to participating and spreading the word that Africa is open for business.
MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 takes place December 1-3 at the CICAD in Dakar, Senegal, under the High Patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, visit www.msgbcoilgasandpower.com.