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Rabat — Morocco joined fellow African countries in Houston, Texas, to hold key conversations around strategic investment opportunities throughout the continent for American stakeholders at the US-Africa Energy Forum held on August 6-7.
Their central pitch? The ambitious Gazoduc Pipeline project, a $25 billion infrastructure initiative to connect Nigeria’s gas supply to Moroccan and European markets.
Morocco’s presentation on this crucial international stage marks a significant step toward securing foreign backing at a key time when US investors are actively seeking to boost energy projects across Africa.
Nawfal Drari, Director of Project Finance at Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), which heads the project, delivered talking points covering the initiative’s progress and investment opportunities, adding that the pipeline has reached a strategic phase.
Launched in 2017 under the guidance of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the project now moves closer to its Final Investment Decision — and a show of support from US investors could catapult that progress into an accelerated reality.
Houston: A strategic location
The US-Africa Energy Forum’s location in Houston was not coincidental. Commonly known as the “Energy Capital of the World,” the Texas city is home to over 4,600 energy-related companies, making it a prime location for deep-pocketed investors willing to hold a stake in key international projects in the sector.
One key player is the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which has announced that it is evaluating oil and gas infrastructure investment opportunities across Africa. This signals a shift of broader US backing for more traditional energy assets across Africa away from solely its renewables focus.
DFC Director Selam Demissie spoke at the Texas forum, saying that the agency is “actively looking” at both upstream and downstream oil and gas infrastructure projects.
Against this backdrop, the forum provided ONHYM a prime platform for Morocco to pitch Gazoduc to US investors as a key investment opportunity in Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
The Moroccan national office said that “this strategic project will enable African countries to access a sustainable and affordable source of energy, while also serving as a tool for economic and social integration.”
Gazoduc to set Morocco up as a prime energy transit hub
For Morocco, the pipeline represents more than just energy infrastructure. The government views it as a catalyst for economic transformation that will create thousands of jobs and establish the North African country as a primary energy transit hub connecting Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic basin.
The massive pipeline will stretch approximately 6,000 kilometers across multiple African countries, connecting Nigeria’s natural gas reserves to Morocco and eventually to European markets.
Engineers designed the system to carry between 15 and 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually.
The project promises to transform energy access across the continent. Officials estimate the pipeline will serve about 400 million people in 13 countries, dramatically expanding reliable energy access throughout West and North Africa.
The ambitious project has already overcome several challenging hurdles, with engineers completing detailed design studies in 2024, and teams finishing environmental and social impact assessments for the northern section.
Developers plan to build it in phases, with a holding company overseeing financing and construction. Three separate project companies will handle different segments of the route.
In December 2024, West African leaders approved the Intergovernmental Agreement at the 66th CEDEAO Summit, outlining each country’s rights and responsibilities for the project.
Industry experts describe the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline as a major driver for economic, industrial, and digital development across the region.
They assert that the project aligns with growing US interest in African energy partnerships and infrastructure development, an argument that aims to gain traction following the US-Energy Forum.
