Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline. The project that could reshape Africa’s energy map (Amina Benkhadra)

At a time when geopolitical tensions are reshaping global energy flows, the Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline (AAGP), linking Nigeria to Morocco, stands out as one of the continent’s most ambitious projects. Conceived as a regional initiative, it goes well beyond a conventional export project. In the long term, it is set to become a key piece of infrastructure for economic and energy integration.

A continental project with multiple ambitions

Running along the Atlantic coast, the pipeline will cross thirteen West African countries. By linking Nigeria’s vast gas reserves to Morocco, it is expected to feed an integrated regional network, with potential onward connections to Europe through the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline.

In comments to Médias24, Amina Benkhadra, CEO of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), said the project should serve as a genuine platform for regional energy integration. In her view, it is not limited to a purely export-driven rationale.

By connecting African and European markets, the Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline is also expected to create an unprecedented energy corridor across the Atlantic basin, she said.

An economic backbone for West Africa

According to Benkhadra, the pipeline was designed as a multi-purpose infrastructure project. It aims both to monetize Nigeria’s substantial gas reserves and to supply West African economies with reliable energy.

“The pipeline addresses several objectives at once: securing supply, stimulating regional demand and creating an energy bridge to international markets,” Benkhadra said. She added that the project, which is expected to serve 400 million people, would help foster a genuine regional gas market, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen economic integration across the continent.

A phased implementation to secure investment

Since its launch in 2016 under a vision championed by King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, and now carried forward by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the project has made significant progress. Feasibility studies have been completed, a route has been defined, agreements have been signed with the countries concerned, and an intergovernmental agreement was adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the end of 2024.

Benkhadra also highlighted phased development as one of the project’s main strengths. Initial connections are expected to involve Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in the south, as well as Morocco, Senegal and Mauritania in the north.

“This phased approach will help generate regional demand from the early stages and reduce financial risks,” she said, adding that the model should strengthen both the project’s bankability and its resilience to market shifts.

A driver of industrialization for the continent

Beyond energy supply, Benkhadra said the pipeline could play a decisive role in West Africa’s industrial development, pointing to the need for reliable gas to support power generation as well as heavy industry and mining.

“The project is a genuine backbone for regional industrialization,” she said. In her view, the emergence of industrial zones and integrated energy markets could, through the AAGP, accelerate the economic transformation of the region as a whole.

A strategic opportunity for Europe

Europe also sees the corridor as a credible alternative. It offers a new route for stable and competitive energy supply between the two continents, at a time when importing markets are seeking to diversify their sources of gas.

“Access to external markets significantly strengthens the project’s economic viability,” Benkhadra said, adding that its dual regional and international dimension is one of its main advantages.

Morocco, a future regional energy hub