Afghanistan begins major gas project at Toti-Maidan fields
25-year venture in northern Jawzjan aims to cut reliance on imports and position Afghanistan for future energy exports
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Afghanistan has started work on the Toti-Maidan gas fields in Jawzjan province, a vast energy basin near the border with Turkmenistan that has long been considered one of the country’s most promising natural gas reserves.
Officials say the project could mark a turning point in reducing Afghanistan’s reliance on imported fuel.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said the 25-year contract involves Afghanistan’s KAM Group and Uzbekistan’s Railcom, covering exploration and extraction across 7,500 square kilometers.
According to ToloNews, the fields currently host around 30 wells, but large parts of the basin remain untapped, offering potential for both domestic supply and regional exports.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar told the launch ceremony that the initiative would reduce energy imports, conserve foreign currency, and eventually make Afghanistan an exporter of gas. “With this project, the country’s dependence on imported gas and electricity will be reduced, the outflow of foreign currency will be curbed, and gradually, the groundwork for gas exports abroad will also be created,” he said.
Officials emphasized that Jawzjan’s location in northern Afghanistan gives the fields strategic importance, with proximity to Central Asian energy networks and potential pipeline routes. Minister of Mines and Petroleum Hedayatullah Badri described the venture as a model of economic partnership, pointing to Uzbekistan’s participation as evidence of deepening regional cooperation.
Uzbek Deputy Energy Minister Bakhtiyar Mohammad Karimov said advanced technologies and environmental safeguards would be applied, while Afghan company representatives pledged compliance with international standards.
Mohammad Gul Khelmi, senior advisor to KAM Group, called the project the outcome of years of negotiations and preparation, highlighting its 25-year horizon as a sign of stability.
Analysts say that if the Toti-Maidan reserves are successfully developed, they could become the backbone of Afghanistan’s energy sector, supporting electricity generation, industry, and eventually exports to neighbors.
The project also represents a political test for the Taliban-led government, which is seeking to show regional states that Afghanistan remains open for investment despite global diplomatic isolation.
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