ECOWAS Backs Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline

Member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have signed an intergovernmental agreement supporting the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline, advancing one of Africa’s largest cross-border energy infrastructure projects. The agreement marks a significant milestone towards the implementation of the long-planned pipeline linking West Africa with North Africa and Europe.

The proposed 6,900-kilometre pipeline is expected to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas annually from Nigeria through 13 West African countries to Morocco. According to a joint statement issued by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), about 15 bcm of the pipeline’s annual capacity will be supplied to Morocco and European markets through the existing Morocco-Spain gas connection.

The project, first proposed in 2016 by King Mohammed VI of Morocco and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, is estimated to cost about $25 billion. The pipeline is expected to strengthen regional energy integration, improve electricity generation and support industrial, mining and economic development across participating countries while expanding access to natural gas.

Project promoters said the feasibility study and front-end engineering design (FEED) have been completed, paving the way for the next phase of implementation. That phase will include the signing of a bilateral agreement between Morocco and Mauritania, which is expected to take place in the presence of Nigeria’s president. A timeline for the start of construction has not yet been announced.

SOURCE: Reuters