The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) project has moved closer to implementation after Heads of State of ECOWAS Member States signed the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the project during the ECOWAS Summit held over the weekend in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The AAGP is a regional infrastructure project that aims to develop West Africa’s abundant natural gas resources, connect them to key demand centres, integrate energy markets across Africa, and create a strategic energy corridor linking West Africa, the Sahel, Morocco, and Europe.
The project will transport 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually. Nigeria, Morocco, ECOWAS member countries, and Mauritania are supporting the initiative, which will extend nearly 6,900 kilometers along the Atlantic coast of West Africa.
NNPC Ltd and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) are jointly leading the project to improve energy access, support industrial development, and strengthen regional integration across the continent.
The agreement signed by ECOWAS Member States implements the approval granted during the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Summit held in Abuja in December 2024. It also completes the institutional process coordinated by ECOWAS after Nigeria and Morocco signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2022 and confirms the continued commitment of the participating countries to the project.
Morocco and Mauritania will complete the intergovernmental framework by signing the agreement at a subsequent ceremony.
The late President Muhammadu Buhari and His Majesty King Mohammed VI initiated the project through a shared vision. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to support the initiative, which NNPC Ltd. and ONHYM are jointly promoting with the backing of ECOWAS, participating countries, and international partners.
The project has already recorded key milestones. The partners have completed the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies, finalized route reconnaissance surveys, advanced environmental and social assessments, and established major legal, regulatory, and commercial frameworks. These achievements have prepared the project for implementation.
The AAGP will stretch from Nigeria to Morocco through thirteen Atlantic coastal countries while providing interconnections to landlocked countries in the Sahel.
The project will connect to the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline and create a new energy corridor with an annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters. It will allocate up to 15 billion cubic meters of gas to Morocco and European markets each year. The pipeline will improve regional gas supply, support electricity generation, promote industrial development, encourage value addition to natural resources, and create new industrial value chains and employment opportunities across West Africa.
Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, said the signing by West African Heads of State provides the sovereign framework needed to move the AAGP from planning to implementation.
He added that the milestone reflects the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. According to him, the AAGP plays a central role in delivering that mandate by providing the infrastructure required to bring about 3 billion cubic feet of Nigerian gas to market each day. He said NNPC Limited is proud to co-lead the project with ONHYM.
Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, Director General of ONHYM, described the signing as another important milestone in the development of the AAGP. She said ONHYM and NNPC Ltd. have jointly developed the strategic project under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. She added that the project reflects His Majesty’s vision for an integrated Atlantic Africa.
After Morocco and Mauritania sign the agreement, the project will establish the Pipeline Higher Authority (PHA) in Abuja and the AAGP Project Company in Casablanca. These institutions will oversee implementation and prepare the project for the Final Investment Decision (FID).
NNPC Ltd. and ONHYM reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the AAGP in line with international standards for technical excellence, environmental responsibility, and good governance.
source: nnpcgroup.com
African Energy Council