Morocco’s natural gas imports drop 15% in 2026’s first quarter

Monday 04 May 2026 - 08:23

By: Dakir Madiha

Morocco’s natural gas imports drop 15% in 2026’s first quarter

Morocco’s natural gas imports fell by 15.0% year‑on‑year in the first quarter of 2026, bringing volumes to 1.98 terawatt‑hours over the first three months of the year, according to data from the Washington‑based energy platform Attaqa. While the quarter began with a notable year‑on‑year increase in supplies, imports then declined sharply, leading to several days of supply interruptions linked to the ongoing escalation of tensions in the Middle East. Parts of Morocco’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in this period came from multiple sources, including Russia and the United States, diversifying the country’s supplier base even as overall volumes contracted.

Government officials have repeatedly tried to reassure citizens that national energy stocks remain sufficient to cover domestic demand despite the reported drop in gas arrivals. In April, Morocco’s Minister of Energy, Leila Benali, stated that fuel reserves are adequate for the next three months, with diesel stocks estimated to cover about 47 days of national consumption and gasoline reserves extending beyond 49 days. These comments were made amid rising public concern over fuel prices, which have cut into household purchasing power and prompted debate over the transparency and fairness of the price‑pass‑through mechanism that adjusts domestic pump prices in line with global market moves.

Since March 15, Morocco’s Economy and Finance Minister, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, has announced that the government is allocating around MAD 1.6 billion (about $160 million) per month to cushion the impact of higher fuel prices on households. She explained that the surge in pump prices has pushed transport and supply‑chain costs upward, directly eroding citizens’ real income. Fettah Alaoui attributed the spike to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have lifted energy costs by 40% to 65%, with oil prices climbing to between $100 and $110 per barrel. “We cannot isolate our prices from global reality,” she said, emphasizing that the government’s response is not purely a technical or numerical calculation but part of a broader economic strategy.

At the same time, Morocco continues to frame its energy policy around a dual goal: securing energy sovereignty while preserving strategic partnerships with international suppliers. The country is advancing long‑term infrastructure projects such as the Nigeria‑Morocco gas pipeline, which is expected to strengthen domestic gas supply and better align with local demand patterns. The project figures prominently in Rabat’s efforts to reduce import‑dependency volatility and to anchor North Africa’s energy integration, even as short‑term fluctuations in LNG imports and regional tensions keep the government under pressure to guarantee both physical and financial stability in the energy market.