The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government adopted the agreement during its 69th Ordinary Summit, establishing the legal and institutional framework for the proposed 6,900-km pipeline spanning 13 countries. Designed to transport 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually – half of which is earmarked for Morocco and European markets via Spain – Morocco's National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines expects construction to begin in 2028, with first deliveries targeted for 2031.

The next phase will focus on establishing a project company in Casablanca and a Pipeline Higher Authority in Abuja ahead of investor mobilization and FID. Morocco and Mauritania, which are not ECOWAS members, are expected to sign the agreement separately later this year alongside Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

For the MSGBC basin, however, the project's sequencing may prove even more significant than the agreement itself. Construction is expected to be divided into three independently financed sections. Under the proposed structure, the northern section would connect offshore gas developments in Senegal and Mauritania directly to Morocco's gas network before the central section links to Nigerian supply. That means commercialization of the northern corridor will depend primarily on gas demand and supply from the MSGBC basin itself, rather than waiting for Nigerian volumes to move north.

Those commercialization pathways are expected to feature prominently at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference, where dedicated sessions on regional gas monetization and the CEO Regional Leadership Panel will examine the infrastructure, financing models and cross-border partnerships required to unlock the basin's next phase of growth.

Senegal is well positioned to anchor that northern corridor. National oil company Petrosen assumed full ownership of the Yakaar-Teranga license in April 2026 and is advancing a $7.5 billion development plan, including a $2.5 billion first phase designed to supply approximately 300 million cubic feet per day to the domestic market from an estimated 25 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. Alongside domestic industrial demand, a future pipeline connection would provide an additional commercialization route without the capital intensity of a standalone LNG export project.

Mauritania enters the equation from a different position. Greater Tortue Ahmeyim achieved first gas in late 2024 and shipped its first LNG cargo in early 2025, giving the country an established export platform. The proposed pipeline would complement planned developments such as BirAllah and the N'Diago gas-to-power project, creating additional options for monetizing future gas production while strengthening Mauritania's role as a regional gas supplier.

The wider corridor also extends opportunities beyond producing nations. The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea – all located along the proposed route – stand to benefit through transit revenues and new interconnection points capable of supplying gas to domestic and regional markets, including landlocked Sahel countries.

As the project moves toward investor mobilization, attention is increasingly shifting from political approvals to commercial execution. While the Freetown agreement establishes the legal framework, the pace of development will ultimately depend on securing bankable offtake agreements, financing commitments and coordinated infrastructure planning across the basin. Those issues are expected to dominate discussions when industry leaders convene at MSGBC Oil, Gas &Power 2026, reinforcing the event's role as the region's leading platform for advancing gas investment and cross-border energy partnerships.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region's oil, gas and power sectors. Visit www.msgbcoilgasandpower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.