The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project, one of Africa’s most ambitious energy infrastructure initiatives, continues to gain momentum as it reaches new technical and institutional milestones.
The latest progress was marked by high-level meetings held in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, July 9, and Thursday, July 10, 2025, where officials from across the continent gathered to evaluate developments and welcome a new strategic partner to the project, Togo.
The meetings, hosted by Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), brought together representatives of participating countries and national energy companies.
These sessions were organised under the project’s governance structure and followed the framework outlined in a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed among key stakeholders, including Nigeria’s National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and various national gas entities.
According to a statement released by ONHYM, the project has already recorded significant advancements across multiple fronts. Detailed engineering designs for the full pipeline infrastructure were completed in 2024, laying the groundwork for actual construction. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and survey studies for the northern segment, from Morocco southwards, have also been concluded, while similar assessments for the southern stretch, covering Nigeria to Senegal, are currently underway.
One of the standout moments of the Rabat gathering was the formal signing of a new MoU between three vital players: Nigeria’s NNPC, Morocco’s ONHYM, and Togo’s National Gas Company (SOTOGAZ).
This development marks Togo’s official inclusion in the multinational project, effectively sealing the partnership of all coastal countries along the pipeline route. The agreement underscores the growing commitment among West African nations to work collaboratively towards shared energy goals and regional integration.
Spanning a planned distance of over 5,600 kilometres, the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually. The pipeline will start from Nigeria and travel along the Atlantic coast through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, and Mauritania before reaching Morocco. From there, it will be linked to the existing Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (MEG), facilitating the transmission of African gas to European markets.
In addition to its Atlantic path, the project also aims to connect three landlocked nations—Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali—via branch lines, further expanding the pipeline’s reach and impact across the West African region.
Governance of the pipeline’s development is set to be coordinated through a newly established Project Company or Holding Company. This central body will oversee the financing, implementation, and construction processes. It will also supervise three Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), each dedicated to managing a specific segment of the vast infrastructure, ensuring streamlined oversight and execution.
Institutionally, the project took a leap forward in December 2024 with the adoption of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) at the 66th Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The IGA outlines the rights, responsibilities, and legal commitments of each participating country, providing a strong diplomatic and legal framework for the initiative’s execution.
This landmark gas project was jointly initiated by King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Their shared vision reflects a bold ambition to revolutionise Africa’s energy landscape, deepen regional economic ties, and uplift living conditions through enhanced access to energy resources.
