…Project To Transport 30 billion Cubic Metres Of Gas Annually
West African leaders have signed a landmark Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to advance the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), marking a major milestone in efforts to deepen regional energy integration and unlock the region’s vast natural gas resources.
The agreement was signed by Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the regional bloc’s summit held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, over the weekend.
The project, jointly promoted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), is designed to transport about 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually across West Africa, Morocco and Europe.
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 and concludes the institutional process initiated following the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Morocco.
Stretching nearly 6,900 kilometres along the Atlantic coast, the pipeline will run from Nigeria through 13 West African coastal countries before reaching Morocco, with interconnections planned for landlocked Sahel nations.
The project is expected to strengthen regional energy security, improve electricity generation, promote industrialisation and create new economic opportunities across participating countries.
Linked to the existing Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, the AAGP will establish a new energy corridor capable of supplying up to 15 billion cubic metres of gas annually to Morocco and European markets, while boosting domestic gas utilisation across West Africa.
The project enjoys the backing of Nigeria, Morocco, Mauritania and ECOWAS member states and is regarded as one of Africa’s most ambitious cross-border energy infrastructure initiatives.
The NNPC Ltd said on Monday that significant progress had already been recorded on the project, including the completion of Front-End Engineering Design studies, route reconnaissance surveys and substantial environmental, social, legal and commercial frameworks required to move the project towards implementation.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Ojulari, described the signing as a critical step towards translating the project from concept to execution.
He said the agreement provides the sovereign backing required to accelerate implementation of the pipeline, adding that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of commercialising Nigeria’s vast gas resources.
According to him, the pipeline will provide infrastructure needed to bring about three billion cubic feet of Nigerian gas per day to domestic and international markets.
The Director-General of ONHYM, Amina Benkhadra, also described the agreement as another major milestone in the realisation of the project, noting that it reflects the shared vision of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Tinubu to strengthen African energy integration.
She said the project would support sustainable economic development, promote industrial value chains and create employment opportunities across West Africa.
Following the signing by ECOWAS member states, Morocco and Mauritania are expected to complete the intergovernmental framework through a separate signing ceremony.
The next phase of the project will include the establishment of the Pipeline Higher Authority in Abuja and the incorporation of the AAGP Project Company in Casablanca to oversee implementation and prepare for the Final Investment Decision.
Originally conceived under the leadership of former President Muhammadu Buhari and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline is expected to play a strategic role in expanding Africa’s gas infrastructure, strengthening regional cooperation and positioning West Africa as a key supplier in the global energy market.
(The Whistler)
