ECOWAS States Sign Historic Intergovernmental Agreement, Paving Way for African Atlantic Gas Pipeline

The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) project has achieved a significant milestone with the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) by Heads of State from ECOWAS member countries at the recent ECOWAS Summit in Freetown. This pivotal development signals a major step towards the actualisation of this transformative regional infrastructure initiative, designed to harness West Africa’s substantial natural gas reserves and integrate energy markets across the continent and beyond.

The AAGP, a project with sovereign backing from Nigeria, Morocco, ECOWAS member states, and Mauritania, is envisioned as a 6,900-kilometre pipeline stretching along the West African Atlantic coast. Its ambitious scope includes connecting gas resources to major demand centres, fostering regional energy market integration, and establishing a strategic development corridor linking West Africa, the Sahel, Morocco, and Europe. The pipeline is designed to transport an impressive 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually.

This latest signing by ECOWAS member states provides practical effect to the approval granted at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Summit in Abuja in December 2024. It also concludes the institutional process coordinated by ECOWAS, building upon the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Morocco. The agreement underscores the strong commitment of participating states to the project’s success. A subsequent ceremony will formalise the intergovernmental framework with the signatures of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

Jointly spearheaded by NNPC Ltd. and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), the AAGP aims to enhance energy access, stimulate industrialisation, and deepen regional integration. Initiated under the shared vision of the late President Muhammadu Buhari and His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the project continues to receive robust support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Significant progress has already been made, including the completion of Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies, route reconnaissance surveys, environmental and social impact assessments, and the establishment of crucial legal, regulatory, and commercial frameworks, positioning the project for imminent implementation.

The AAGP will traverse thirteen Atlantic coastal countries from Nigeria to Morocco, with interconnections planned to serve landlocked Sahel nations. Integrated with the Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline, it will create a new energy corridor with an annual capacity of 30 bcm, allocating up to 15 bcm for supply to Morocco and European markets. This will bolster regional gas availability, support electricity generation, drive industrial growth, enable value addition to natural resources, and foster new industrial value chains and sustainable employment opportunities across West Africa.

Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, stated that the signing by West African Heads of State provides the AAGP with the essential sovereign foundation to transition from concept to execution. He highlighted that the project is central to President Tinubu’s mandate, facilitating the delivery of approximately 3 billion cubic feet per day of Nigerian gas to market. Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, Director General of ONHYM, echoed this sentiment, describing the event as another major milestone in the realisation of this strategic project, reflecting His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s vision for an integrated Atlantic Africa.

Following the forthcoming signatures by Morocco and Mauritania, the project will establish the Pipeline Higher Authority (PHA) in Abuja and the AAGP Project Company in Casablanca to oversee implementation and prepare for the Final Investment Decision (FID). NNPC and ONHYM have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the AAGP in adherence to the highest international standards of technical excellence, environmental responsibility, and good governance.

… ECOWAS States Sign Historic Intergovernmental Agreement, Paving Way for African Atlantic Gas Pipeline … Naijaonpoint.