Morocco, Nigeria set to sign $25bn African Atlantic Gas Pipeline deal in 2026

Morocco is set to sign an intergovernmental agreement for the major natural gas pipeline project with Nigeria in 2026, marking a key step towards advancing a project estimated to cost more than $25bn, Al Jazeera reported on April 14.

The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, also known as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), was first agreed nearly a decade ago and will extend more than 5,600 kilometres along a combined offshore and onshore route. It is designed with a maximum capacity of 30bn cubic metres per year, with around half allocated to supply Morocco and support exports to Europe.

The pipeline will pass through a dozen West African countries, supporting regional energy integration and economic development.

According to Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, the project has completed feasibility studies and preliminary engineering design, placing it at a new stage ahead of institutional and implementation arrangements.

Following the agreement, a high-level governing authority is expected to be established in Nigeria, bringing together ministerial representatives from the 13 participating countries to coordinate the project across its regional route.

A dedicated project company will also be set up in Morocco through a partnership between the Moroccan agency and Nigeria’s national oil company, NNPC, to oversee financing, construction and execution.

Initial phases are expected to link Morocco with gas fields in Mauritania and Senegal, with early gas production anticipated by 2031.