Morocco’s hydrocarbons agency, Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), has begun exploring funding options for a proposed US $25bn gas pipeline intended to link West African reserves with European markets, according to reports.
The fundraising effort marks the agency’s first since its recent transformation into a public limited company, a move aimed at strengthening its ability to attract investors and structure large-scale energy partnerships. Central to the plan is the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline, a major infrastructure project stretching approximately 6,900 kilometres.
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Pipeline’s design
The pipeline is designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria through several West African countries, including Senegal and Mauritania, before reaching Morocco and continuing to Europe. Once completed, the system is expected to connect with the existing Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, which already provides a route for gas exports from North Africa to Spain. While specific details on the size and timeline of the fundraising have not been disclosed, the pipeline is projected to carry up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually. Morocco and Nigeria agreed last year to establish a joint venture to manage the project.
The development comes as Algeria continues to promote a competing trans-Saharan pipeline that would connect Nigerian gas to Europe through a shorter route. ONHYM has positioned its project as a strategic initiative that could enhance regional energy access while supporting Europe’s efforts to diversify gas supplies. Meanwhile, Morocco’s gas transport firm OMCO has indicated that a formal intergovernmental agreement and final investment decision on the pipeline could be reached later this year.
