Key points
- ECOWAS Heads of State have signed the Intergovernmental Agreement for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline project.
- The 6,900km pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually.
- The project will connect Nigeria to Morocco through 13 West African coastal countries and link to European gas markets.
- NNPC Ltd. says the agreement provides the sovereign framework needed to move the project towards implementation.
Main story
Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have signed the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) Project, marking a major step towards implementation of the regional gas infrastructure initiative.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.
According to the statement, the agreement was signed during the ECOWAS Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Odeh said the project is designed to harness West Africa’s natural gas resources, connect them to key demand centres, integrate African energy markets and establish an energy corridor linking West Africa, the Sahel, Morocco and Europe.
The statement said the pipeline will have a projected capacity of 30 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas annually and extend approximately 6,900 kilometres along the West African Atlantic coast.
It added that the project is jointly being developed by NNPC Ltd. and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), with the backing of Nigeria, Morocco, ECOWAS member states and Mauritania.
According to NNPC Ltd., the signing gives practical effect to the approval granted at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Abuja in December 2024.
The agreement also concludes the institutional process coordinated by ECOWAS following the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding signed by Nigeria and Morocco.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mr Bashir Ojulari, described the agreement as a significant milestone in advancing the project.
He said the signing by West African leaders provides the sovereign framework required to move the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline from vision to execution.
Ojulari added that the project is central to unlocking Nigeria’s gas resources and providing critical infrastructure capable of supplying about three billion cubic feet of gas per day to the market.
Also speaking, the Director-General of ONHYM, Mrs Amina Benkhadra, said the agreement reflects the shared vision of Morocco and Nigeria to strengthen regional integration and deepen energy cooperation across Africa.
The statement noted that Morocco and Mauritania would subsequently sign the agreement to complete the intergovernmental framework for the project.
It added that the pipeline, initiated under former President Muhammadu Buhari and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, continues to enjoy the support of President Bola Tinubu.
According to NNPC Ltd., major preparatory activities, including Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies, route reconnaissance, environmental and social impact assessments, as well as legal, regulatory and commercial frameworks, have been completed.
The project will run from Nigeria to Morocco through 13 Atlantic coastal countries, with interconnections to landlocked Sahel nations.
It will also connect to the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, creating a new energy corridor with an annual capacity of 30 bcm, including up to 15 bcm for Morocco and European markets.
NNPC Ltd. said the pipeline is expected to strengthen regional gas supply, support electricity generation, promote industrialisation, create new value chains and generate employment across West Africa.
Following the signing of the agreement, the Pipeline Higher Authority will be established in Abuja, while the AAGP Project Company will be headquartered in Casablanca to oversee implementation and preparations for the Final Investment Decision (FID).
The issues
The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline is one of Africa’s largest cross-border energy infrastructure projects, aimed at expanding regional energy integration, monetising natural gas resources and improving access to cleaner energy across West Africa while creating an export route to Europe.
What’s being said
“The signing by West African Heads of State provides the sovereign framework required to move the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline from vision to execution.” — Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd.
What’s next
Morocco and Mauritania are expected to sign the agreement to complete the intergovernmental framework, after which project authorities will be established and work will advance towards a Final Investment Decision.
Bottom line
The signing of the intergovernmental agreement moves the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline closer to implementation, laying the institutional foundation for a regional gas network that could reshape energy trade, industrial development and electricity supply across West Africa.
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