Key facts
- Morocco is promoting the $25 billion African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) project, despite having no significant domestic gas resources.
- The AAGP aims to transport gas from Nigeria across 13 countries to Europe, facing competition from the shorter, cheaper Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP).
- The TSGP, linking Nigeria to Algeria via Niger, has seen construction begin on its Algerian section.
- The AAGP is estimated to cost twice as much as the TSGP and is projected to be operational no earlier than 2040.
- Morocco continues to pursue the AAGP, seeking financing and planning an intergovernmental agreement with Nigeria.
Morocco has advanced a significant media narrative around its African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) project, formerly known as the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, despite possessing negligible domestic gas resources and no history of hydrocarbon trade. The project, valued at tens of billions of dollars, is positioned as a major energy corridor linking Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic basin, and as a rival to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP).
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the EU's move to ban Russian pipeline gas imports by 2027, Europe has been actively seeking alternative supplies. Algeria, already a substantial supplier, is moving forward with the TSGP, which would transport Nigerian gas to Europe via Niger and Algeria. This project is estimated to cost between $10 billion and $13 billion and is significantly shorter and less complex than the AAGP.
In contrast, the AAGP, with an estimated cost of $25 billion, would traverse 13 countries along the West African coast and is not expected to be operational before 2040. Experts highlight that the AAGP faces significant hurdles related to resource availability, market prospects, economic viability, and political stability across numerous nations.
Despite these challenges, Morocco has invested heavily in promoting the AAGP, announcing finalized agreements and advanced technical studies. However, the formal launch of construction for the Algerian section of the TSGP on June 4, following a steering committee meeting of Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger, has effectively signaled the decline of the Moroccan project's viability. Nevertheless, Morocco continues to seek financing for the AAGP and plans to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Nigeria in late 2026.