Africa’s Biggest Gas Producer Becomes a Lifeline for Italy and Spain Amid Middle East War

Adekunle Agbetiloye

26 March 2026 09:35 AM

Italy is seeking to increase gas imports from Algeria after both countries agreed to deepen energy cooperation, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said during a visit to Algiers.

Italy aims to increase gas imports from Algeria following new energy cooperation agreements.

Prime Minister Meloni met with President Tebboune amid LNG supply disruptions from Qatar.

The cooperation includes expanding projects between Eni and Sonatrach, as well as exploring shale gas and offshore opportunities.

No specific timeline or details were given on when additional gas supplies might start.

Italy is seeking to increase gas imports from Algeria after both countries agreed to deepen energy cooperation, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said during a visit to Algiers.

Meloni met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as Italy grapples with ongoing disruptions to liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from Qatar, which previously accounted for about 10% of the country’s annual gas consumption, Reuters reported.

“We have agreed to strengthen our cooperation, particularly through our national champions, Eni and Sonatrach, while also exploring new areas such as shale gas and offshore projects,” Meloni said. “Over the long term, this will help boost gas flows from Algeria to Italy.”

Neither leader provided a timeline or specifics on how quickly additional supplies could materialise.

Tebboune, however, reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to supporting Italy’s energy needs. “I want to underline Algeria’s readiness to honour its commitments with Italy as we navigate challenges in oil and gas markets,” he said at a joint press briefing.

Italy has been actively seeking alternative suppliers to offset reduced deliveries from Qatar. Last week, Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said Rome was in talks with several countries, including Algeria, to secure additional gas supplies.

Algeria is already a key energy partner for Italy. In 2024, it supplied around 20 billion cubic metres of gas, roughly 30% of Italy’s total consumption, with about half delivered under contracts between Sonatrach and Italy’s Eni.

Spain Also Looking to Algeria

This growing reliance on Algerian gas is not limited to Italy. Spain is also weighing increased pipeline imports from Algeria as it looks to shore up supplies amid rising prices driven by the war in the Middle East.

Algeria was once Spain’s largest gas supplier, but flows declined after a key pipeline route through Morocco was shut down, forcing Madrid to rely more heavily on liquefied natural gas (LNG) from major exporters such as the United States and Qatar.