US and China Compete for Stake in Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline

The strategic Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, recently rebranded as the Atlantic Africa Pipeline, is attracting significant international interest, with both the United States and China vying for involvement in the $25 billion venture.

During the IMF and World Bank Spring 2025 meetings in Washington, Nigerian Finance Minister Wale Edun revealed growing American interest in the megaproject. “The principal areas of interest include American investments in Nigeria’s natural gas sector, particularly the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline, given the country’s vast gas reserves,” he was quoted by Moroccan L’Economiste as telling media in Washington.This American positioning may represent a geostrategic response to China’s increasing influence in Africa. Chinese industrial giant Jingye Group has already announced its participation through its British subsidiary, Jingye British Steel, which will supply steel for the pipeline’s construction.

The project is entering a key investment phase in 2025. Amina Benkhadra, Director General of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), confirmed significant acceleration in development, with the first sections expected to be progressively commissioned by 2029.

Detailed engineering studies have validated the economic feasibility of the project, which aligns with international standards. In Morocco, the land section will connect Dakhla to the Maghreb-Europe network near Ouezzane, according to ONHYM’s 2025 action plan.

Morocco has launched a $6 billion tender to develop its gas infrastructure and connect its network to the Atlantic Africa Pipeline. The platform will play a key role in transporting natural gas and green hydrogen between Africa and Europe, supporting energy transitions at various scales.

Moroccan Energy Minister Leila Benali said that feasibility and FEED studies have been completed for the pipeline. She emphasized that “this project illustrates Morocco’s new vision for energy security,” highlighting the importance of “early access to the international LNG market, signing upstream gas contracts, and developing infrastructure like the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline.”

Beyond energy concerns, the project represents an ambitious South-South cooperation strategy aligned with Morocco’s diplomatic doctrine focused on continental solidarity and strengthening regional integration.