It’s not every day that a stalled $20 billion energy project gets a second wind, especially in a region grappling with security challenges.
But TotalEnergies’ Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ambitions are back in the spotlight, thanks to a powerful endorsement from the Donald Trump-led U.S. government.
His administration’s renewed financial backing has reignited global interest in Africa’s largest LNG development.
It signals a fresh wave of confidence and momentum for a project once frozen in uncertainty.
With force majeure now being lifted after four years and billions in U.S. support reauthorized, Mozambique is gearing up for its third major LNG project.
U.S. financial commitments to the gas project
The U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) initially approved the loan in 2020 during President Donald Trump’s first term, but insecurity in Mozambique delayed its disbursement under the Biden administration.
In March 2025, EXIM reauthorized the critical $4.7 billion loan facility for the Mozambique LNG project, signaling Washington’s renewed commitment to the development.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) publicly thanked the Trump administration for its support, emphasizing that the financial lifeline was vital to restoring investor confidence and accelerating project timelines.
However, the endorsement followed a rigorous assessment process aligned with President Trump’s “America First” policy.
EXIM estimates that the LNG project will support approximately 16,400 high-paying American jobs across more than 60 U.S. companies.
These firms will be directly involved in the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the onshore LNG plant and associated infrastructure.
Strategic importance for Africa and global Markets
The Mozambique LNG project is not just a national priority but a continental game-changer.
The gas project covers the country’s Area 1 concession, approximately 10,000 square kilometres and unlocking up to 64 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Once operational, it will be Africa’s largest LNG development, capable of producing over 13 million tonnes of LNG annually.
The facility is expected to supply energy to Europe and Asia, helping diversify global energy sources amid geopolitical tensions and climate transitions.
For Mozambique, the project promises transformative economic impact.
It is projected to generate billions in revenue, create thousands of jobs, and catalyze infrastructure development in one of the country’s most underserved regions.
In 2019, the project was forecast to generate a minimum net benefit of $60 billion to the host country over its lifecycle.
Why Trump’s support matters
The Trump administration’s backing is more than financial. It signals to global investors that the U.S. sees Mozambique as a strategic partner in energy development.
This confidence boost is especially crucial as Mozambique seeks to attract additional foreign direct investment and finalise updated development plans with its council of ministers.
Moreover, the move aligns with broader U.S. interests in countering Chinese and Russian influence in Africa’s energy sector, while promoting American companies and financing institutions as reliable partners.
Specifically, the re-approved funding by the US will facilitate the export of American goods and services for the development and construction of the integrated LNG facility.
The funding could make Britain, which had previously considered withdrawing to stay on.
The UK Export Finance had committed up to $1 billion towards the project in 2020 before the force majeure.
What’s next?
With the force majeure lifted and the first tranche of financing secured, TotalEnergies is expected to submit an updated budget and construction schedule for government approval.
If all goes according to plan, construction could resume in early 2026, with first gas exports targeted for 2028.
According to the project terms, Mozambique will offtake 100 million cubic feet of gas per day for domestic electricity generation and industrial development, while the bulk of the output will be exported to international markets.
While U.S. financing is expected to kick-start the project, TotalEnergies is still awaiting loan reconfirmation from the UK and Dutch export credit agencies to fully execute the development, whose budget has now increased by at least 20%.
The multi-billion-dollar gas project is owned by a group of investors, including TotalEnergies (26.5%), Mitsui & Co. (20%), the Indian Consortium – comprising ONGC Videsh, Bharat PetroResources, and Oil India (30%) – PTTEP (8.5%), and Mozambique’s national oil company, ENH (15%).
