Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline Edges Closer as Landmark $25 Billion Deal Nears Signing

For a country sitting on some of Africa’s largest natural gas reserves, Nigeria’s long-term economic future increasingly lies not just in extraction, but in how effectively it can connect its energy wealth to markets across continents. One of the most ambitious projects designed to achieve exactly that goal is now moving closer to reality.

Nigeria and Morocco are preparing to formalise a major step in the development of the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, a massive $25 billion transcontinental project that aims to transport natural gas from Nigeria through West Africa to Morocco and eventually onward to European markets.  Both countries are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement later this year, marking a critical political and regulatory milestone for the initiative.

The pipeline, first conceived nearly a decade ago, has steadily advanced through early technical stages. Key preparatory work, including feasibility studies and front-end engineering design, has already been completed, indicating that the long-envisioned infrastructure is gradually transitioning from planning into implementation.

Stretching an estimated 6,900 kilometres, the pipeline will follow a hybrid offshore-onshore route along the West African coastline, linking multiple countries before reaching Morocco. Beyond serving Morocco’s domestic energy needs, the network is also designed to facilitate gas exports to Europe, effectively positioning Morocco as an energy bridge between Africa and European markets.

The project is expected to deliver substantial capacity once completed. At full operation, the pipeline could transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually, with around 15 billion cubic metres earmarked for Morocco’s domestic consumption and exports to Europe.

According to Amina Benkhadra, Director-General of Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), the upcoming agreement will unlock a new phase of institutional coordination. Once signed, the participating countries will establish a high-level governing authority headquartered in Nigeria, bringing together ministerial representatives from all 13 countries involved in the project. The body will be responsible for providing political direction and regulatory alignment across the multinational pipeline corridor.

To oversee execution, a dedicated project company will also be established in Morocco. The entity will operate as a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and ONHYM, taking charge of construction, financing, and overall project implementation.

Rather than waiting for a single, massive investment decision before beginning construction, the project’s architects have adopted a phased development strategy. Benkhadra explained that each segment of the pipeline will function independently, allowing progress and economic value to emerge gradually as sections become operational.

This approach will also shape the pipeline’s rollout across the region. Early phases will focus on linking Morocco to gas resources in Mauritania and Senegal, while another section will connect Ghana with Côte d’Ivoire. The final stretch will eventually tie Ghana directly to Nigeria’s gas fields, completing the continental energy corridor.

Although the project has generated significant investor interest, financing has yet to be finalised. Funding is expected to come from a combination of equity investments and debt financing, mobilised through the project company responsible for delivering the infrastructure.

Backed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the initiative involves 13 countries along the West African Atlantic coast, making it one of the most extensive cross-border energy collaborations ever attempted in Africa.

The implications stretch far beyond the energy sector. By expanding gas availability across the region, the pipeline could strengthen electricity generation, support industrial growth, and accelerate mining development, all while deepening economic integration among West African nations.

For Nigeria, the project represents a strategic opportunity to unlock greater value from its vast natural gas reserves while expanding non-oil revenue streams. It also reinforces the country’s central role in shaping West Africa’s energy architecture.

If the project maintains its current trajectory, the first gas deliveries from the initial phases could begin by 2031.

At a time when Europe is actively seeking to diversify its energy supply following geopolitical disruptions in global gas markets, the Nigeria–Morocco pipeline has the potential to reshape energy trade routes across the Atlantic corridor. More importantly, it signals a future in which African resources increasingly power African cooperation while also strengthening the continent’s position in the global energy landscape.