Nigeria-Morocco $25 billion gas pipeline nears deal as 13 nations join

The long-planned $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline is moving closer to a key milestone, with an intergovernmental agreement expected to be signed this year, according to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency. The project, first proposed more than a decade ago, reflects renewed efforts by African energy producers to deepen regional cooperation, expand gas access, and strengthen their role in global energy supply.

Nigeria-Morocco pipeline deal expected

Amina Benkhadra, director general of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, said in an email to Reuters that the intergovernmental agreement for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline — a 6,900-kilometer hybrid offshore and onshore network — is expected to be finalized this year. The pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually, with 15 billion cubic meters allocated for Morocco’s domestic demand and exports to Europe.

Backed by the Economic Community of West African States, the project has completed feasibility studies and front-end engineering design. Once the agreement is signed, Nigeria plans to establish a high authority bringing together ministerial representatives from 13 participating countries to coordinate regulatory and political matters. A project company will also be created in Morocco as a joint venture between Morocco’s hydrocarbons agency and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to oversee execution, financing and construction.

Power, industry, energy access expansion

Officials say the project is expected to support economic growth beyond gas transportation. Benkhadra said the pipeline could expand electricity generation, support industrial development and improve energy access across Africa. Morocco also sees the initiative as strengthening its position as a link between African gas producers and European markets. Construction is expected to roll out in phases. Early segments will connect Morocco to gas fields in Mauritania and Senegal, while another link will connect Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. A final stretch will extend from Ghana to Nigeria’s gas fields, creating one of Africa’s largest energy corridors.

First gas from initial phases is expected in 2031, according to Benkhadra, who said each segment will be developed independently, allowing sections to start operations earlier. Funding commitments remain pending, with the project company planning a mix of equity and debt. She said investor interest has increased due to the project’s scale and phased execution. The update comes as African producers seek to bolster supply and exports. Angola lifted output above 1 million barrels a day, while Nigeria shipped its first 950,000-barrel cargo of Cawthorne crude to the Netherlands.

Nigeria targets 1.8 million bpd

Nigeria plans to raise output by about 100,000 barrels per day in the coming months. The country averaged between 1.6 million and 1.7 million barrels per day last year and is targeting 1.8 million barrels per day by 2026. Against this backdrop, the $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline stands out as one of Africa’s largest energy projects. With an intergovernmental agreement expected this year, and first gas targeted for 2031, the project signals growing cooperation among African producers and their efforts to secure a larger share of global energy markets.