While global oil prices are down in 2015 and U.S. production is off its recent highs, net increases in U.S. production over the last decade have impacted economies and oil markets around the world, including oil-rich countries in Africa. Algeria, Angola and Nigeria, all members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), each send a share of their crude oil exports to the United States. This article describes the impact of the U.S. energy boom on Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, and discusses some of the challenges and opportunities that have resulted from the fall in U.S. demand for Africa's oil resources. Shifts in trade patterns demand a refocusing of U.S. security measures and an increase in strategic collaboration, as opposed to isolation.
