Africa is facing a fresh energy paradox: the world is burning off enough natural gas to match the continent’s annual consumption while millions of people still lack reliable electricity.
Global gas flaring rose to 167 billion cubic metres in 2025, the highest level since 2019, according to the World Bank’s June 2026 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report.
The report said the increase marked the third consecutive annual rise in gas flaring and showed that the world was “moving in the wrong direction.”
Gas flaring happens when oil producers burn associated gas released during crude oil production instead of capturing it for use in power generation, cooking fuel, industry or exports.
For Africa, the figures expose a major contradiction. The World Bank said the amount of gas flared globally in 2025 was comparable to Africa’s total annual gas consumption.
