The much-anticipated Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline is facing fresh concerns over delays, with the more than $25 billion project yet to move into full implementation despite years of planning and regional negotiations. The ambitious pipeline, now renamed the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), is expected to stretch nearly 7,000 kilometres across 13 West African countries before reaching Morocco, creating a major energy corridor linking Nigeria to West Africa, North Africa and potentially Europe.
The latest development came after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) endorsed the project in July 2026, following the signing of an Intergovernmental Agreement by member states. Nigerian officials have described the agreement as a major step towards regional energy security and economic integration. However, sources cited in the report expressed concerns that bureaucratic hurdles and competing interests among participating countries could slow the project further. The pipeline has already endured a lengthy journey since Nigeria and Morocco began serious discussions about it, with earlier deadlines repeatedly shifting.
For Nigeria, the stakes are particularly high. The pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually, with part of the supply expected to serve West African countries while the remainder could be exported towards Europe through Morocco. The project is expected to be financed through a combination of public-private partnerships, equity contributions from national oil companies, multilateral financial institutions and long-term gas supply agreements. However, raising between $25 billion and $27 billion remains a significant challenge, particularly as global investors face increasing pressure around long-term fossil fuel projects.
Beyond financing, experts have raised questions about security, gas availability and the practicality of moving such a massive project across multiple countries. The proposed route would cross 13 sovereign nations, making protection against vandalism, theft and regional instability a major consideration. Some analysts have also questioned whether Nigeria should prioritise supplying its own struggling power and industrial sectors before committing enormous volumes of gas to an export-focused infrastructure project. At the same time, attention has been drawn to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, another major project that could transport Nigerian gas through Niger and Algeria towards European markets.
Despite the concerns, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) insists the government remains committed to both projects and rejects the idea that the African-Atlantic route has replaced the Trans-Saharan pipeline. NNPCL says the AAGP could build on the existing West African Gas Pipeline model while creating a wider development corridor connecting gas-producing countries with major energy markets. If successfully delivered, the project could help Nigeria commercialise underdeveloped gas reserves, strengthen regional energy supply, attract investment and generate additional foreign exchange. For now, however, the $25 billion dream remains caught between ambitious regional plans and the difficult realities of funding, infrastructure, politics and execution.
source: Dailytrust
