The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed an intergovernmental agreement supporting the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline, marking a major milestone for the multi-billion-dollar regional energy project.
The agreement was signed on Sunday in Freetown by member states of the regional bloc, according to a joint statement issued by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
The proposed 6,900-kilometre pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually from Nigeria through 13 West African countries to Morocco.
Under the project, 15 billion cubic metres of gas each year will be supplied to Moroccan and European markets through the existing pipeline linking Morocco and Spain.
Conceived about a decade ago by the King of Morocco and Nigeria’s president, the project is estimated to cost about $25 billion.
According to the joint statement, the pipeline has completed its feasibility study and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), paving the way for the next phase of implementation.
The next stage will involve the signing of an agreement between Morocco and Mauritania in the presence of Nigeria’s President.
The pipeline is expected to boost regional economic integration, expand electricity generation, support industrial and mining development across West Africa, and strengthen Morocco’s position as an energy gateway between Africa and Europe.
