Afghanistan Aims to Reduce Oil Import Reliance Through Expanded Domestic Extraction

Afghanistan is preparing to reduce its dependence on foreign oil imports through the implementation of new domestic extraction initiatives, according to government officials. The country currently imports approximately three million tons of crude oil and refined petroleum products annually to meet national demand.

Shafi Azam, head of economic relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that domestic production currently accounts for 15.7 percent of Afghanistan’s total oil consumption. He indicated that recently launched extraction programs are designed to significantly increase local output. Under the new initiatives, officials project that domestic supply will rise to cover 29.75 percent of the country’s overall consumption in the near future.

The push to expand local oil production comes as part of broader efforts to stabilize the national economy and reduce the financial burden associated with large-scale energy imports. By increasing the share of domestically sourced petroleum, authorities aim to improve energy security and retain more capital within the country’s economic framework.

Officials have not provided a specific timeline for when the targeted production levels will be fully achieved, nor have they detailed the exact locations or capacities of the new extraction projects. The government continues to evaluate the infrastructure and investment requirements necessary to scale up operations and integrate the additional supply into the national distribution network.