"ECOWAS" with the Morocco-Nigeria pipeline | Hespress (MA)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has officially backed the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline project. At a summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, heads of state and government signed an intergovernmental agreement formalizing their support for the ambitious energy infrastructure. The pipeline, projected to be approximately 6,800 kilometers long, is designed to carry natural gas from Nigeria, through multiple West African nations, to Morocco. From there, it is intended to connect to the European gas grid, creating a vital energy corridor. This signing ceremony marks a significant milestone, demonstrating the collective commitment of ECOWAS member states to the project. Initially launched as a joint initiative between Morocco and Nigeria, the pipeline now garners widespread regional support. The agreement solidifies the project's political and institutional foundations, reinforcing the vision of African energy security as a driver for sovereignty, industrialization, and shared prosperity. Key entities involved in the project's development include Morocco's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and Nigeria's National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd.). Future steps include establishing a project company based in Casablanca and a "Pipeline Higher Authority" in Abuja for governance, followed by investor mobilization and a final investment decision. The project, estimated at $25 billion, aims to foster an integrated regional gas market in West Africa, boost electricity production, and support industrialization across the continent. Initial operations are anticipated at the start of the next decade.