Nigeria–Morocco Pipeline Advances To Delivery Stage

The proposed Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline has now reached a critical juncture, with an intergovernmental agreement IGA scheduled to be signed this year. The total cost estimate for the project is valued at approximately $25 billion, and this is a consequence of over a decade of feasibility studies, Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), and negotiations, which have led to a near-final decision.

The 6,900-kilometre-long pipeline would run from Nigeria to Morocco using West Africa’s Atlantic Coast region, passing through 13 nations in an offshore/onshore configuration. The maximum capacity of the project is set at 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year.

Approximately 15 bcm is expected to be allocated to Morocco, supporting domestic consumption and export ambitions. The project aligns with Rabat’s strategy to establish itself as a gateway for African gas into Europe, leveraging existing and planned interconnections with Spain and Southern Europe.

First proposed in 2016, the initiative has progressed through successive technical and diplomatic milestones. With feasibility and FEED phases now complete, focus has shifted to structuring financing and execution. The IGA, agreed in principle in late 2024, is set to formalise the commitments of participating states under the ECOWAS framework.

Governance will be managed through a multi-tiered structure. A high-level authority based in Nigeria will coordinate regulatory and political alignment across participating countries. The execution will be led by a joint venture between Morocco’s ONHYM and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which will be responsible for development, financing, and operations.

The project will be delivered in phases, overseen by a holding company managing three segments—northern, central, and southern. This approach is intended to de-risk financing, enable staged capital deployment, and allow early gas flows from completed sections.
While financing arrangements remain under discussion, the model is expected to combine equity and debt from international partners. Initial gas deliveries are projected for 2030–2031, with phased commissioning supporting early operations.

The pipeline is expected to enhance energy security, support industrial growth, and strengthen regional integration across West Africa.