ECOWAS backs $25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline

….Nigeria positions 215.19trn cubic feet of gas reserves for exports, economic integratio

Nigeria’s ambition to become a regional gas powerhouse received a major boost on Sunday as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) endorsed the $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, moving one of Africa’s largest energy infrastructure investments significantly closer to execution.

The breakthrough followed the signing of an intergovernmental agreement by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government during the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority in Freetown, Sierra Leone, providing a regional legal framework for the implementation of the landmark cross-border gas pipeline.

The agreement marks a major milestone for the project, which is expected to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas annually from Nigeria through 13 West African countries to Morocco, with onward connection to European markets.

A joint statement by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited said the project had completed its feasibility study and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), paving the way for subsequent implementation phases.

Under the proposed arrangement, about 15 bcm of gas annually will be delivered to Morocco and Europe through the existing Morocco-Spain gas pipeline, while the remainder will support electricity generation, industrialisation and economic development across participating West African countries.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperipe Ekpo, described the ECOWAS endorsement as a defining milestone that moves the project from vision to implementation.

According to him, the agreement demonstrates the collective commitment of West African leaders to deliver one of the continent’s most strategic energy infrastructure projects capable of transforming regional energy security, accelerating industrialisation and deepening economic integration.

Ekpo said the project would unlock Nigeria’s vast gas resources, expand export opportunities and strengthen the country’s aspiration of becoming a gas-powered economy.

Nigeria holds about 215.19 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, positioning the country to become a major supplier of cleaner energy to both regional and international markets.

“This agreement gives further momentum to our ambition to move from being merely a gas-rich country to becoming a gas-powered economy and a dependable regional and global energy partner,” the minister said.

He added that the pipeline would stimulate investments across electricity generation, fertiliser production, petrochemicals, manufacturing and other gas-based industries while creating thousands of jobs across participating countries.

The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, popularly known as the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, will stretch approximately 6,900 kilometres through a combination of offshore and onshore routes, making it one of the world’s longest offshore gas pipeline systems.

The project was first conceived about a decade ago by Nigeria and Morocco and has since evolved into a regional initiative backed by ECOWAS.

The Federal Executive Council approved Nigeria’s participation in the project in 2022, while NNPC subsequently signed several memoranda of understanding with participating countries to facilitate implementation.

The latest ECOWAS agreement is expected to accelerate financing discussions and pave the way for additional bilateral agreements required before construction begins.

The joint statement also disclosed that the next implementation milestone would be the signing of a separate agreement between Morocco and Mauritania in the presence of Nigeria’s President.

Analysts believe the project could significantly reshape Africa’s energy landscape by expanding access to natural gas, improving electricity supply, supporting industrial growth and creating a new export corridor linking West Africa to Europe amid rising global demand for cleaner energy.