ECOWAS Leaders Endorse $25 Billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline

Member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on Sunday, July 20, 2026, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, formally endorsing the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP). The project, first proposed in 2016 by King Mohammed VI and the late President Muhammadu Buhari, aims to transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Nigeria through 13 Atlantic coast countries to Morocco. From there, 15 billion cubic meters will be directed to Moroccan and European markets via the Maghreb-Europe pipeline.

Estimated to cost between $25 billion and $27 billion, the hybrid offshore-onshore infrastructure will span approximately 6,800 to 6,900 kilometers. The project is being jointly developed by Nigeria's National Petroleum Company Limited and Morocco's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines. Implementation will now move toward establishing a Project Company in Casablanca and a Pipeline Higher Authority in Abuja to mobilize investors. Construction is targeted for 2027 or 2028, with first gas deliveries expected by 2031.

Nigerian officials stated the project leverages the country's 215.19 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves to transition Nigeria into a gas-powered economy. While the initiative seeks to integrate West African economies and diversify European energy sources, officials noted remaining challenges regarding financing, offshore engineering, and regional security.