The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project is entering a new phase. The National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) plans to launch calls for tenders in 2025 for the Moroccan segments of this strategic infrastructure which will link Nigerian gas to Europe by crossing 13 Atlantic African countries and connecting also three Sahel countries.
ONHYM has just unveiled its Action Plan for 2025, which highlights the timetable for calls for tenders relating to the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project. These calls will specifically concern parts of the infrastructure located on Moroccan territory. This project, with a total length of 5,600 kilometers, crosses 16 countries and aims to supply more than 340 million people.
According to the first announcements, the initial phase will focus on three countries: Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal. Furthermore, agreements for gas transport should be signed next year, thus strengthening regional collaboration around this initiative.
A project with strategic benefits
The gas pipeline route, which includes 1,672 kilometers in Morocco, will be connected to the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline as well as the European gas network. In addition to contributing to the economic integration of the African countries concerned, the project meets several strategic objectives:
-Monetize Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves.
-Diversify Nigerian gas export routes.
-Provide a sustainable source of energy to ECOWAS countries, Morocco and Europe. ONHYM also plans the creation of an entity dedicated to managing the construction, operation and maintenance of this infrastructure.
Reinforced commitments
In recent years, Morocco and Nigeria have stepped up efforts to make this major project a reality. In 2023, ONHYM signed several memorandums of understanding with oil operators from countries such as Ivory Coast, Benin, Liberia and Guinea. These agreements are in addition to those already concluded with countries such as Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia.
At a recent meeting with ECOWAS energy ministers, discussions around intergovernmental agreements and legal commitments for the pipeline progressed. The objective is to finalize a cooperation framework before the end of 2024.
Estimated at $26 billion, this gigantic project combines two major initiatives: the extension of the West African gas pipeline and the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline. Its completion will make it possible to reduce gas flaring, while supporting the energy and environmental ambitions of partner countries.
Apart from monetizing Nigeria’s gas resources, the AAGP aims to supply gas to 13 ECOWAS countries, Morocco and Europe, while eliminating gas flaring. This strategic project also constitutes a lever for economic integration for the countries of the region.
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