ECOWAS Endorses Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Agreement

At the ECOWAS summit held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, member states endorsed the Nigeria-Morocco African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) by signing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). This pipeline, approximately 6,800 kilometers long, will transport natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco, ultimately connecting to the European gas network.

The initiative was launched under the auspices of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, with current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continuing support for the project. The agreement involves the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Morocco's Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), paving the way for the next implementation phase, which includes establishing a project company headquartered in Casablanca.

The pipeline is expected to transport 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, with 15 billion cubic meters destined for Europe and the remainder for regional markets. The first segment of the pipeline is anticipated to launch in the next decade.