By Francis Ajuonuma
West African leaders have signed the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), marking a breakthrough for the multi-billion-dollar energy project expected to unlock Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, deepen regional integration and expand gas exports to Europe.
The agreement was endorsed during the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, at the weekend, providing the legal and sovereign framework required to move the transnational pipeline towards implementation.
Announcing the development on Monday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) said the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline is being jointly developed with Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM).
The project is designed to transport about 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually through a 6,900-kilometre pipeline stretching from Nigeria to Morocco across 13 Atlantic coastal countries, with interconnections serving landlocked Sahel nations.
The state-owned energy company said the latest agreement gives practical effect to the approval granted by ECOWAS Heads of State during the bloc’s 66th Ordinary Summit held in Abuja in December 2024.
It also concludes the institutional process initiated after the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding signed by Nigeria and Morocco, reaffirming the commitment of participating countries to a project expected to stimulate industrialisation, improve electricity supply, create jobs and strengthen regional energy security.
According to NNPC Ltd., a subsequent ceremony involving Morocco and Mauritania will complete the project’s intergovernmental framework.
The company said the pipeline, initiated under the shared vision of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, continues to enjoy the support of President Bola Tinubu.
NNPC Ltd. disclosed that substantial preparatory work has already been completed, including Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), route reconnaissance surveys, environmental and social impact assessments, as well as legal, regulatory and commercial frameworks required to commence implementation.
The company noted that the pipeline will connect with the existing Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, creating a new energy corridor capable of supplying up to 15 billion cubic metres of gas annually to Morocco and European markets, while expanding domestic gas utilisation, supporting electricity generation, accelerating industrial development and creating new value chains across West Africa.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the signing as a turning point for the regional energy initiative.
“The signing by West African Heads of State gives the AAGP the sovereign foundation required to move from vision to delivery,” Ojulari said.
He said the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of commercialising Nigeria’s gas resources through strategic infrastructure investment.
“This milestone reflects the clear mandate of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The AAGP is central to delivering that mandate by providing the infrastructure required to bring about 3 bcf/d of Nigerian gas to market. NNPC Limited is proud to co-lead this endeavour with ONHYM,” he added.
Director-General of ONHYM, Mrs Amina Benkhadra, said the agreement marks another significant step towards delivering one of Africa’s largest energy infrastructure projects.
“The event represents another major milestone in the realisation of the AAGP, a strategic project jointly developed by ONHYM and NNPC Ltd. The Project fully reflects His Majesty’s vision for an integrated Atlantic Africa,” she said.
Following the remaining signatures by Morocco and Mauritania, the partners will establish the Pipeline Higher Authority in Abuja and the AAGP Project Company in Casablanca to supervise implementation and prepare for the project’s Final Investment Decision (FID).
NNPC Ltd. and ONHYM reaffirmed their commitment to delivering the project in line with international standards of technical excellence, environmental sustainability and corporate governance, describing it as a transformative investment for Africa’s energy and economic future.
