The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a major step towards the development of the Nigeria-Morocco African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, with member states signing a landmark intergovernmental agreement during the regional bloc’s summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The agreement provides the legal framework for the construction of the nearly 6,800-kilometre pipeline, which is expected to transport natural gas from Nigeria through several West African countries to Morocco before linking with the European gas network.
The project, jointly being developed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), is regarded as one of Africa’s most ambitious energy infrastructure initiatives. It is expected to strengthen regional energy security, deepen economic integration and unlock new export opportunities for West African gas.
The signing also clears the way for the establishment of a project company to oversee implementation, with its headquarters planned for Casablanca, while a higher pipeline authority is expected to be based in Abuja ahead of the project’s final investment decision.
Originally conceived by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the pipeline has continued to receive the backing of President Bola Tinubu and ECOWAS leaders as a strategic project aimed at boosting regional development and expanding Africa’s energy footprint in global markets.
