Natural resources of Chad
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Chad: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
21.3 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2024)
91.3 %
Crude oil, barrels a day (2025)
126,490
Forest, share of land (2024)
3.0 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Oil, gas and coal
Chad produced about 126,490 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025. Proved oil reserves were 1.5 billion barrels in 2021.
View the data as a table
| Period | Crude oil |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 123 |
| 2011 | 115 |
| 2012 | 104 |
| 2013 | 100 |
| 2014 | 121 |
| 2015 | 123 |
| 2016 | 114 |
| 2017 | 128 |
| 2018 | 132 |
| 2019 | 128 |
| 2020 | 123 |
| 2021 | 106 |
| 2022 | 110 |
| 2023 | 124 |
| 2024 | 127 |
| 2025 | 126 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 3 mineral commodities with published production in Chad between 2019 and 2023, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 3 of 3
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 410,000 | 390,000 | 510,000 | 600,000 | 650,000 | 2022: e; 2023: e |
| Crude | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 46,310 | 46,209 | 42,517 | 45,166 | 48,861 | Not published |
| Refinery | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 7,000 | 7,000 | 7,000 | 6,400 | 6,400 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 13 of 13
| Cement | Ciments de L'Afrique (CIMAF) (Addoha Group SA) | Lamadji plant, N'Djamena | 500,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Ciment du Tchad [Société Nationale de Ciment (SONACIM)] | Baore plant, Bisi Keda Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest Region | 210,000 | Not published |
| Gold | Artisanal placer operations | Mines in Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest Region Province | 150 | kilograms |
| Gold | Artisanal placer operations | Mines in Tibesti and Ouaddai Region | Not published | kilograms |
| Crude million 42-gallon | CNPC International (Chad) Co., Ltd. [China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC)] | Block H, which includes the Koudalwa Ronier, and Grand Baobab Fields, onshore, Mayo-Kebbi-Est and Chari-Baguirmi Regions | 32 | Not published |
| Crude million 42-gallon | Esso Exploration and Production Chad, Inc. (Esso Chad) [ExxonMobil Corp., 40%; Petronas Carigali Overseas Sdn. Bhd., 35%; Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad S.A. (SHT), 25%] | Bolobo, Kome, Maikeri Miandoum, Moundouli, Nya, and Timbre Fields, Doba Basin, onshore, Logone Oriental Region | 26 | Not published |
| Crude million 42-gallon | PetroChad Mangara Ltd. [Glencore plc, 85%, and Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad S.A. (SHT), 15%] | Badila and Mangara Fields, onshore Logone Oriental Region | Not published | Not published |
| Crude million 42-gallon | CEFC China Energy Co., 35%; CPC Corp., 35%; Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad S.A. (SHT), 30%; | Oryx Field, near Benoy Logone Oriental Region | 4 | Not published |
| Refined products do. | Société National de Raffinage de N'Djamena (SRN) [China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), 60%, and Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad S.A. (SHT), 40%] | Djermaya refinery about 30 kilometers north of N'Djamena, Hadjer-Lamis Region | Not published | Not published |
| Limestone | Ciment du Tchad [Société Nationale de Ciment (SONACIM)] | Baore plant, Bisi Keda Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest Region | Not published | Not published |
| Salt | Various local operators | Various locations | Not published | Not published |
| Soda ash (natron) | Various local operators | Lake Chad, near Liwa, Lac Region | Not published | Not published |
| Stone, crushed | Société Tchadienne d'Exploitation des Carrières (SOTEC) | Mani rhyolite quarry, Dandi Hadjer-Lamis Region | 600,000 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2021, Chad. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 21.3% of GDP in 2021, with oil the largest part. That ranks Chad 10th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Natural gas | Minerals | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.0 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 3.7 % |
| 2011 | 24.4 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 3.8 % |
| 2012 | 20.5 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.3 % |
| 2013 | 15.8 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.3 % |
| 2014 | 11.4 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.3 % |
| 2015 | 6.3 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 5.7 % |
| 2016 | 6.6 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 6.5 % |
| 2017 | 10.3 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 6.6 % |
| 2018 | 16.6 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.3 % |
| 2019 | 15.6 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.1 % |
| 2020 | 9.2 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.7 % |
| 2021 | 16.8 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % | 4.6 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
3.0 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
4.2 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
813 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Chad. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Chad have?
Chad's main natural resources are crude oil. Oil, gas and coal made up 91.3% of its goods exports in 2024. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 21.3% of GDP in 2021, mostly from oil.
Does Chad produce oil?
Yes. Chad produced about 126,490 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Proved oil reserves were 1.5 billion barrels in 2021.
What is Chad's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, oil, gas and coal: 91.3% of goods exports in 2024, according to UN Comtrade (figures reported by Chad's trading partners).
How much do natural resources contribute to Chad's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 21.3% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Chad 10th of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in Chad?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 list of Chad's mineral industry names 7 operating companies, including Ciments de L'Afrique, Ciment du Tchad [Société Nationale de Ciment, CNPC International, Esso Exploration and Production Chad, Inc. and PetroChad Mangara Ltd. [Glencore plc, 85%, and Société des Hydrocarbures du Tchad S.A.. The full list is on this page.