Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced on November 4 that it had signed a 275‑million‑dollar agreement with the domestic Azizi Group to explore and extract natural gas in the northern Jawzjan province. The 30‑year contract covers more than 3,000 square kilometres in the Jungal Kalan region of the Amu Darya basin.
During the signing ceremony in Kabul, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mullah Hedayatullah Badri spoke about the project’s social and economic benefits. He said the venture is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs during its implementation. He also noted that once the venture is operational, it could support the generation of 1,000 megawatts of electricity for the national grid.
The agreement marks a continuation of Afghanistan’s policy to advance a series of contracts with domestic and international firms in the mineral, oil and gas sectors. Officials have said that unlocking the country’s natural resources aims to enhance energy security and foster broader economic growth.
Azizi Group has experience in gas exploration within Afghanistan and will undertake the technical work of locating and extracting the gas reserves across the designated area. The company will also be responsible for building the infrastructure needed to transport the gas to power plants.
The government highlighted that the partnership would use domestic expertise and investment, reducing reliance on foreign capital and technology for resource development. This approach is intended to keep more of the value‑added benefits within Afghanistan’s economy.
Industry analysts anticipate that the project could substantially contribute to the province’s development, raising local incomes and providing electricity to underserved communities. The Afghan government has set a target of improving its energy mix across the country, and the Jawzjan natural gas project is positioned as a key element of that strategy.