Nigeria: $25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Dream Drags

The much-touted multi-billion-dollar Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline is yet to take off owing to alleged 'lukewarm' attitudes from Nigerian authorities. Initially called the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, it has been renamed the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) after ECOWAS endorsed it in July 2026 during its 69th Ordinary Session in Lungi, Sierra Leone. The project, valued at over $25 billion, aims to transport 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually across 13 West African countries to Morocco and Europe. ECOWAS' endorsement followed member states signing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), advancing the project's execution. Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima led the delegation, with Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo highlighting the project's significance for regional energy cooperation. However, delays persist due to bureaucratic hurdles and self-serving officials allegedly obstructing progress. Nigeria’s National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) insists the project remains active, but critics argue it is stalled by political interference. The project’s funding relies on Public-Private Partnerships, sovereign guarantees from African nations, and gas sales agreements with European buyers and West African utilities. Morocco hosts over 1,600 km of the pipeline, with 15 bcm allocated domestically and 15 bcm for export. Experts warn that global energy transition mandates and geopolitical tensions—such as Algeria’s Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP)—complicate financing. Nigeria’s gas reserves, estimated at 215.19 trillion cubic feet, are insufficiently developed for export, raising doubts about feasibility. Despite delays, the AAGP aligns with ECOWAS’ goals of energy security and sub-regional integration. The project’s timeline has shifted multiple times, with earlier projections of 2023–2025 for the Final Investment Decision (FID) now pushed to 2026 or later. Experts and officials debate whether the AAGP or the competing TSGP (Nigeria-Algeria-Morocco route) offers better prospects, with the latter facing security and geopolitical challenges. The AAGP’s Atlantic corridor, leveraging ECOWAS cooperation, is seen as a more viable path forward, though delays remain a concern.