In 2024, Africa had a total of 144 active oil rigs, a figure that reflects the continent's ongoing engagement in hydrocarbon exploration and production. Algeria led the count with 41 rigs, followed by Nigeria with 31, Egypt with 23 and Libya with 18, a quad that collectively accounted for 78% of Africa’s total. These countries, situated across North and West Africa, remain the continent’s upstream powerhouses, hosting some of its most developed oil fields and mature energy infrastructure.
Beyond the top four, only a few nations contributed to Africa's rig count. Angola had 4 rigs, Gabon 3, and Congo 2, bringing the total among these seven countries to 122. The remaining 22 rigs were distributed across other African nations.
The United States dominates global natural gas production in 2024, contributing 1.03 trillion cubic metres (Tcm), nearly one-quarter of the world’s total.
Russia (0.63Tcm) and Iran (0.26Tcm) follow as the second and third largest producers.
China (0.25Tcm) and Canada (0.19Tcm) also feature strongly, rounding out the top five producers.
Collectively, these top five countries account for more than 50% of global production.
Emerging producers like Nigeria, Egypt, and Azerbaijan contribute significantly to the supply but remain far behind the leading nations.
