Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign an intergovernmental agreement this year for the $25 billion African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, according to Amina Benkhadra, head of Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency (ONHYM).
“Following the intergovernmental agreement, a high authority for the pipeline will be established in Nigeria, bringing together ministerial representatives from each of the 13 participating countries,” Benkhadra said on Monday.
The project, agreed a decade ago, will run 6,900 km on a hybrid offshore-onshore route with a maximum capacity of 30 billion cubic metres (bcm). Of this, 15 bcm will supply Morocco and support exports to Europe.
A project company will be created in Morocco as a joint venture between ONHYM and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to lead execution, financing, and construction.
“The pipeline would spur economic integration across West Africa by expanding electricity generation and facilitating industrial and mining development,” Benkhadra explained.
Initial segments will connect Morocco to gas fields in Mauritania and Senegal, while southern links will tie Ghana to Côte d’Ivoire before connecting Nigeria’s gas reserves.
Financing And Timeline
The project has completed feasibility and front-end engineering design stages. First gas from initial phases is expected in 2031.
“The project does not rely on a single global final investment decision. Each segment is designed to be developed as a standalone system to allow for early value build-up,” Benkhadra said.
Investor interest remains strong, but no final funding commitments have been secured. Financing is expected to combine equity and debt raised by the project company.
The pipeline has ECOWAS backing and is seen as a strategic bridge linking Africa to Europe’s energy markets.
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