Portugal plans to ramp up liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Nigeria and the United States as part of its strategy to eliminate reliance on Russian gas. Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho disclosed on Tuesday that Portugal imported 49,141 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of natural gas in 2024, with 96% of it being LNG.
According to data from electricity and gas grid operator REN, Nigeria accounted for 51% of Portugal’s LNG imports, followed by the United States with 40%, while Russia’s share dwindled to just 4.4%. This represents a significant drop from 2021, when Russia supplied 15% of Portugal’s LNG.
The decrease comes in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which led to European Union sanctions on Russian oil and pipeline gas. However, LNG transported by sea remains exempt from these restrictions.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Carvalho said, “Portugal is now practically independent of Russian gas, but we aim to reduce this figure further by importing more LNG from Nigeria and the United States.”
The minister also called for greater cooperation within the European Union to strengthen energy independence and security. She noted that Iberia continues to face challenges as an “energy island” due to difficulties in building energy interconnections with France.
The push for increased LNG imports aligns with calls from the United States for European countries to boost purchases of American energy, with previous warnings of tariffs for non-compliance under former President Donald Trump.
Credit: NAN (Text Excluding Headline)
