Nigeria and Morocco to Sign $25bn Gas Pipeline Agreement

Nigeria and Morocco are preparing to sign an intergovernmental agreement for a $25 billion transcontinental gas pipeline project, marking a significant milestone in the development of the proposed African Atlantic Gas Pipeline. The agreement is expected to formalize political and regulatory commitments for the ambitious project, which will transport natural gas from Nigeria across West Africa to Morocco and onward to Europe.

Amina Benkhadra, Director General of Morocco's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, stated that the agreement will enhance institutional coordination among the 13 participating countries. The pipeline, first conceived a decade ago, is currently in the preparatory stage, including feasibility studies and front-end engineering design.

The project is designed to have a maximum capacity of 30 billion cubic meters annually, with 15 billion cubic meters earmarked for Morocco's domestic use and export to European markets. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2031, connecting various gas fields across West Africa.