A Libyan militia member in 2019
Libya’s armed oil industry takeover
Booming crude production has been met with international caution after the UN’s damning assessment
A devastating UN report concluding armed groups now control Libya’s oil industry has dampened enthusiasm about the country’s recent unexpected production boom. Oil output, which had languished at less than 1.2m b/d for four years, has jumped to 1.4m b/d in as many months, according to Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), although the figure is questioned by analysts. Investors will likely remain cautious about Libya’s prospects after the UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts reported that militia chiefs now have senior positions in NOC, which controls Libya’s oil production. “Armed groups in Libya have achieved an unprecedented level of influence over state institutions” UN Panel o
Also in this section
24 April 2026
The European Commission’s response to the Middle East crisis is to double down on its transition strategy, with plans for a new target on electrification
24 April 2026
A major new discovery by Eni and BP that can likely be fast-tracked to production is welcome news for Egypt as it scrambles to plug a widening supply gap and deal with rising import risks
24 April 2026
Countries in the region are turning to the cleaner-burning fuel for power generation, driving demand for imports
24 April 2026
The US has used booming shale production to massively expand its LNG infrastructure, but Canadian developments have not fare so well while in South America consumption outstrips production
