ECOWAS Approves Nigeria-Morocco $25bn Gas Pipeline Project

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, marking a major milestone for one of Africa's most ambitious energy infrastructure initiatives.

The approval came during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where member states endorsed the project's legal and institutional framework by signing an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA). The move provides the political and legal backing needed to advance the next phase of the project.

Estimated to cost about $25 billion, the proposed pipeline will stretch approximately 6,000 to 6,900 kilometres, transporting natural gas from Nigeria through 13 West African coastal countries to Morocco before connecting to the Maghreb-Europe gas network and supplying European markets. The pipeline is expected to have an annual transport capacity of 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas, strengthening energy access across West Africa while boosting exports to Europe.

The project, first proposed in 2016 by Morocco's King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has evolved into a regional integration initiative involving multiple West African countries. It is expected to enhance energy security, drive industrialisation, promote economic cooperation and improve access to cleaner energy across participating nations.

Nigeria's delegation to the summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the agreement as a significant step toward strengthening regional energy cooperation and accelerating the implementation of the cross-border project.

According to project partners, the next phase will involve establishing a project company in Casablanca, Morocco, and a governing authority in Abuja, Nigeria, before securing investors and reaching a final investment decision. Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with the first gas deliveries projected for 2031.