West African leaders have approved an agreement to build the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), a major energy project aimed at linking Nigeria’s gas resources with Morocco and European markets.

The deal was signed at an ECOWAS summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The 6,000-kilometre pipeline will pass through 13 Atlantic coast countries, connecting Nigeria’s gas fields to Morocco before linking with the Maghreb-Europe pipeline.

Julius Maada Bio, ECOWAS Chair,  said the project would soon deliver benefits across the region.

Nigeria’s NNPC and Morocco’s ONHYM said the pipeline would boost African energy integration, create a development corridor and strengthen links between West Africa, the Sahel, Morocco and Europe.

Next steps include establishing project management bodies and securing investors before a final investment decision.

 First proposed in 2016, the pipeline is estimated to cost about $27 billion. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service