The United Arab Emirates has formally joined the roster of international backers supporting an ambitious transcontinental gas pipeline that will stretch from Nigeria to Morocco, with plans to extend its reach into Europe. Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, disclosed the development to lawmakers on Tuesday, confirming the UAE’s commitment to the multibillion-dollar initiative. Estimated at a cost of $25 billion, the project represents one of the most significant energy infrastructure undertakings in the region, aimed at strengthening energy ties between West Africa, North Africa, and the European market.
“As for finance. The project has won the support of IDB, OPEC Fund, EIB and the UAE,” she said.
Morocco has completed all necessary feasibility and engineering assessments for the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, a sprawling infrastructure project poised to reshape energy dynamics across West Africa and Europe. The announcement came from Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, who addressed lawmakers on Tuesday with a significant update: the United Arab Emirates has now joined as a financial backer of the venture.
Estimated to cost around $25 billion, the transcontinental pipeline is envisioned to carry natural gas from Nigeria along the West African coast, through Morocco, and eventually into Europe—bolstering regional energy security and diversifying European supply sources amid shifting geopolitical currents.
Benali’s disclosure of the UAE’s involvement signals growing international interest in the project, which is seen as both a strategic investment and a diplomatic bridge between Africa and the broader global energy market.
“As for finance. The project has won the support of IDB, OPEC Fund, EIB and the UAE,” she said.
Benali also said that Morocco has finished all feasibility and engineering studies needed for the pipeline.
According to Moroccan industry experts, the project has already passed the feasibility study and Front End Engineering Design stages.
The gas pipeline, now called the “African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline”, will connect Nigeria’s gas network with Morocco’s southern city of Dakhla and then go northward toward Europe.
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The line will pass through 15 African countries, boosting trade, development, and access to electricity in the region.
In Phase One, it will link Morocco to gas fields near Senegal and Mauritania, and connect Ghana to the Ivory Coast.
Phase Two will link Nigeria to Ghana, while Phase Three will connect the Ivory Coast to Senegal.
Experts said this pipeline will help bring more power to African homes and businesses while encouraging economic partnerships across the region.
Stretching across a region home to more than 400 million people, the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline is expected to play a pivotal role in fostering regional integration, stimulating industrial growth, and enhancing infrastructure across multiple countries.
To oversee the ambitious project, Morocco and Nigeria have established a joint venture, consolidating their collaboration. In a significant step forward, the two nations recently signed a financing agreement aimed at propelling the project to the next phase.
China’s Jingye Steel Group has been entrusted with the critical task of supplying the necessary piping for the pipeline’s construction, ensuring the project’s material foundation is in place.
Once completed, the pipeline — spanning 6,800 kilometers, including 5,100 kilometers offshore — will hold the distinction of being the longest offshore gas pipeline in the world, setting a new benchmark in global energy infrastructure.
In addition to its energy ambitions, Morocco is positioning itself as a future leader in clean energy. With vast potential for producing green hydrogen and other renewable resources, the country is setting its sights on becoming a regional powerhouse in sustainable energy production.