ECOWAS Unites Behind Atlantic Gas Pipeline, Charting Course for West African Energy Future

Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a landmark development set to redefine West Africa’s energy landscape and accelerate regional integration, leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gathered in Freetown on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The summit culminated in the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the Nigeria-Morocco African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), formally transforming what began as a bilateral vision into a continent-wide strategic imperative.

This pivotal endorsement by ECOWAS member states solidifies the AAGP’s political and institutional foundation. The ambitious project, initially conceived as a joint strategic initiative by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco and the late Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, continues to receive robust support from current Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Its evolution into a collective undertaking by all of West Africa underscores a shared commitment to regional energy security, industrialization, and shared prosperity.

Spanning nearly 6,800 kilometers, the AAGP is designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria, traversing thirteen countries along Africa’s Atlantic coast, before connecting to Morocco and subsequently to the European gas network via the Maghreb-Europe pipeline. With an estimated cost of approximately $25 billion, this monumental infrastructure is projected to have a transport capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Up to 15 billion cubic meters could be earmarked for export to Morocco and Europe, with the remaining volume dedicated to meeting the growing energy demands of regional markets across West Africa.

Jointly developed by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), the project is now poised to enter its next critical implementation phase. This will involve the establishment of the Project Company, slated to be headquartered in Casablanca, Morocco, and the Pipeline Higher Authority, planned for Abuja, Nigeria. These foundational steps will precede the crucial mobilization of investors and the preparation of the Final Investment Decision (FID). A subsequent dedicated ceremony will see the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania jointly sign the agreement in Morocco, in the presence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, further cementing regional commitment.

Beyond its primary function as an energy conduit, the AAGP is envisioned as a true development corridor. It is expected to catalyze economic growth, support electricity generation, foster industrialization, and facilitate the responsible development of the continent’s vast natural resources. By connecting diverse African economies, the pipeline aims to significantly strengthen their integration and enhance their global competitiveness, marking a concrete step towards the continent’s broader integration policies.

ONHYM and NNPC Ltd. have confirmed that the main engineering, environmental, and technical studies for the pipeline have been successfully completed. This significant progress allows the project to gradually transition into its operational development phase. While the full completion is a long-term endeavor, the commissioning of the first pipeline segments is optimistically anticipated at the beginning of the next decade, promising a transformative impact on the region’s energy future and economic destiny.