The $25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project is nearing the start of its construction phase. The 6,000-kilometre infrastructure initiative has gained momentum following high-level meetings in Rabat last month, The North Africa Post reported on August 2.

The project, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), is jointly led by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). It is part of Morocco’s broader Atlantic Initiative, which aims to increase cooperation between Atlantic-facing African countries.

The pipeline will pass through 13 West African countries, supplying gas regionally and supporting energy integration. It will start in Nigeria and follow the Atlantic coast through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, and Mauritania before reaching Morocco. From Morocco, it will link to the existing Maghreb-Europe Pipeline and connect with European gas networks.

Additionally, the project will supply gas to three landlocked countries: Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The pipeline is expected to transport 30bn cubic metres (bcm) of gas each year once finished. It will be built in phases, with a holding company in charge of funding and construction. Three different project companies will manage various sections of the route.

In December 2024, at the 66th summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African leaders approved an intergovernmental agreement, outlining each country’s roles and responsibilities in the project.

At July meetings in Rabat, officials signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NNPCL, Morocco’s ONHYM, and Togo’s national gas company SOTOGAZ. This agreement confirmed Togo’s formal involvement and completed the partnerships with all countries along the pipeline route.

As reported by The North Africa Post, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition Leïla Benali announced the imminent start of the first phase of the pipeline project during the Rabat meetings. The Moroccan segment will link Nador in northeastern Morocco to Dakhla in southern Western Sahara, a disputed territory administered by Morocco.

This stage, representing a $6bn investment, will form the North-South backbone of the larger project, says the media outlet. It also signals the shift from planning to implementation of the continent’s key infrastructure project.

The project is expected to deliver far-reaching benefits beyond energy supply. Officials believe it will enhance Africa’s economic, political, and strategic standing, while also driving regional integration.

The pipeline will help bring electricity access to more than 500 million people through gas-to-power projects, support industrial development – such as aluminium processing in Guinea – and could enable the transport of green hydrogen from Morocco to Europe.

Progress on financial structuring is promising, with interest from investors including the UAE, according to The North Africa Post. A projected return of over 12% has attracted specialist funds and international financial institutions, confirming the project’s economic potential and long-term importance for Africa’s energy future.