Egypt’s natural gas import bill jumped about 45% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, driven by higher import, transport and insurance costs amid global market turbulence, a source familiar with the imports file at the Ministry of Petroleum told Al Manassa.
The source, who requested anonymity, said the import bill rose by about $1.1 billion between January and April 2026, reaching $3.5 billion, compared to $2.4 billion (126 billion pounds) during the same period last year.
Oil prices have witnessed increases since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran in late February, peaking close to $120 per barrel compared to about $70 before the war. This has impacted local energy costs and prompted the government to take measures including raising prices for fuel, electricity, and gas for certain industrial sectors.
The source emphasized that the government has sought over the past two months to secure the local market’s natural gas needs, particularly for the industrial sector and power plants, despite the high cost. This effort aims to compensate for the interruption of Israeli gas during certain periods.
Israel halted gas supplies to Egypt last February due to the war in the region before gradually resuming supply, which returned to normal levels this month.
The source noted that liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices remain high, at nearly $20 per million British thermal units, compared to about $12 before the war. He pointed out that Egypt needs to import approximately 2.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) during the winter, a figure that rises to about 3 bcf/d in the summer as electricity consumption increases.
Total local gas consumption currently ranges between 6 billion and 6.1 bcf/d, while local production stands at about 4 bcf/d, forcing the government to rely on imports to bridge the gap, the source added.
During this month, the government allowed increased natural gas flows to fertilizer and petrochemical plants, aiming to increase exports while raising energy pricing for these factories, according to a source familiar with the gas distribution file at the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) in previous statements to Al Manassa.
