The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has organized a four-day regional workshop aimed at reviewing and validating the Host Government Agreement (HGA) for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project (AAGP). The event, taking place at Radisson Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, commenced on October 8 and will conclude on October 11, 2024.
This follows the validation of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) during a similar workshop held in August 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The HGA is set to be annexed to the IGA and will govern relations between a Host State and the Project Company.
The AAGP is part of ECOWAS' efforts to enhance regional energy security through infrastructure projects like this pipeline. The project aims to connect Nigeria to Morocco while supplying all ECOWAS member states and Mauritania, with plans for extension into Europe.
The pipeline project merges two previous initiatives: the West African Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP) and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP), forming a single gas pipeline stretching approximately 7,000 km. It will pass through up to 13 coastal countries with additional spur lines connecting three landlocked ECOWAS countries. Launched in 2016 by former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, it seeks to provide sustainable energy solutions for the region.
Dabire Bayaornibè, Director of Energy and Mines at ECOWAS Commission, praised Nigeria's and Morocco's collaborative efforts via their national oil companies. “Our region faces growing energy challenges, and the AAGP is a critical project to address these issues. Natural gas is a promising transitional energy source for the region,” Bayaornibè stated.
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, emphasized that “the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline is more than just a pipeline; it symbolises our shared ambition to create a united energy market across West Africa and beyond.” Represented by Oluremi Komolafe from Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Lokpobiri highlighted its potential for industrialization, job creation, economic growth, and regional cooperation.
Ahmad Rufai Khalid from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation outlined future steps emphasizing finalizing agreements by year-end. The workshop included presentations from ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines alongside Moroccan delegates discussing HGA-related modalities.
This landmark initiative aims to bolster regional energy integration while contributing significantly towards global climate goals.
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