The proposed Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) has been recognized both locally and internationally as one of Africa’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, with the potential to enhance energy integration, strengthen regional economic cooperation, and improve energy security across West and North Africa. However, there are growing concerns that, without targeted policy interventions, the NMGP could reinforce existing regional inequalities rather than address them. This study assesses the readiness of each country along the pipeline to benefit from the regional energy integration the project intends to foster. Using a custom-built Energy Integration Index, the study applies a comparative, indicator-based framework to evaluate energy access, natural gas consumption patterns, and economic capacity across 13 transit countries. The findings provide data-driven insights to guide regional energy planning and support governance strategies that align national development goals with broader regional integration efforts.
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- 1.0. Introduction
- 2.0. Background
- 3.0. Methodology
- 3.1. Research Design
- 3.2. Data Collection
- 3.3. Data Analysis
- 3.4. Results
- 4.0. Discussion
- 5.0. Conclusion
- References
Objective & Thematic Focuses
This study primarily aims to assess the readiness of countries along the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline to benefit from regional energy integration. It employs a comparative approach to analyze energy access, natural gas consumption, economic capacity, and infrastructure, ultimately recommending policies and governance frameworks to ensure equitable energy sharing and sustainable development across West Africa.
- Evaluating the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project
- Assessing regional energy integration and energy dependency
- Analyzing energy access, infrastructure development, and natural gas consumption patterns
- Investigating the correlation between GDP per capita and energy readiness
- Proposing governance and policy frameworks for equitable energy distribution
- Addressing regional inequalities in energy benefits and development
Excerpt from the Book
Pipeline of Power: Evaluating the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Project and Its Role in Redefining Energy Dependency in Africa
The proposed Nigeria–Morocco gas pipeline is a proposed transcontinental energy infrastructure project conceived in 2016 through a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Morocco. The pipeline is designed to extend the existing West African Gas Pipeline infrastructure, stretching over 5,600 kilometers and passing through 13 West African countries, namely, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and finally reaching Morocco, with an optional extension to Europe (Suleiman, Slighoua, & Haddad, 2022).
Beyond its commercial viability and potential as a strategic export route, especially amid growing interest from European markets seeking to diversify energy imports away from Russia (Machrouh, 2022), the NMGP has also been widely promoted as an opportunity to foster inclusive energy development within West Africa (Suleiman, Slighoua, & Haddad, 2022). As with many large-scale regional projects, the distribution of benefits cannot be automatic or equal (Perrin & Sorge, 2024). Some countries are bound to benefit more from the project than others. The challenge is in reconciling this reality with the broader goal of regional development.
The primary aim of this study is to assess the readiness of each country along the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline to benefit from regional energy integration. Using a comparative approach, the research analyzes the level of energy access in each country, examines how GDP per capita correlates with energy infrastructure and consumption patterns, and recommends policies and regional frameworks that promote equitable energy sharing and sustainable development. The study is guided by the following research questions: What is the current state of energy access and gas consumption in each country along the pipeline? How does GDP per capita correlate with energy infrastructure and consumption patterns? Despite being a strategic export route, does the pipeline present a genuine regional opportunity for energy equity? And finally, what governance and policy frameworks are required to ensure inclusive energy distribution and long-term sustainability? The findings of this study will provide data-driven insights to inform regional energy planning and support the design of governance frameworks that prioritize both national interests and broader West African development goals.
Summary of Chapters
Abstract: This section provides an overview of the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project, outlining the study's objective to assess countries' readiness for regional energy integration and highlighting the use of an Energy Integration Index to guide planning and governance.
1.0. Introduction: This chapter introduces the NMGP as an ambitious infrastructure project with the potential to reshape energy supply but also risks exacerbating regional inequalities, thereby setting the stage for the study's focus on equitable energy integration.
2.0. Background: This section details the project's conception, proposed route through 13 West African countries, and its strategic importance, while also emphasizing the study's aim to assess each country's readiness and address the uneven distribution of potential benefits.
3.0. Methodology: This chapter describes the comparative, indicator-based research design used to evaluate energy readiness across the pipeline countries, detailing the specific variables collected and the data sources utilized.
3.1. Research Design: This sub-section explains the comparative research design and indicator-based approach, focusing on identifying countries best positioned to benefit from the NMGP versus those likely to lag behind due to infrastructure, energy access, and governance gaps.
3.2. Data Collection: This sub-section lists the public databases (e.g., World Bank Open Data, U.S. Energy Information Administration) from which key indicators such as electricity access, natural gas consumption and production, pipeline lengths, and corruption perceptions were sourced for the analysis.
3.3. Data Analysis: This sub-section details the calculation of the custom-built Energy Integration Index (EII), explaining how variables were normalized and why natural gas consumption and production were excluded from the index to ensure it accurately reflects structural and policy readiness.
3.4. Results: This sub-section presents descriptive statistics that reveal significant disparities in demographic scale, GDP per capita, electricity access, and natural gas infrastructure among the 13 pipeline countries, underlining the uneven readiness for regional energy integration.
4.0. Discussion: This section interprets the study's findings, highlighting stark disparities in energy access and utilization across the pipeline corridor and discussing the strong correlation between GDP per capita and EII scores, which suggests a risk of reinforcing existing inequalities.
5.0. Conclusion: This concluding chapter summarizes the study's assessment of country readiness for the NMGP, reiterating the importance of balancing export ambitions with domestic energy equity through clear, enforceable policies like Domestic Supply Obligations to ensure inclusive regional development.
Keywords
Regional Energy Integration, Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), Energy Dependency, Africa, Energy Governance, Infrastructure Development, West Africa Regional Policy, Energy Access, Natural Gas Consumption, Economic Capacity, Policy Frameworks, Equitable Energy Sharing, Sustainable Development, Domestic Supply Obligations, Regional Cooperation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work generally about?
This work evaluates the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project and its potential role in redefining energy dependency in Africa, specifically focusing on assessing the readiness of the 13 transit countries to benefit from regional energy integration.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include regional energy integration, infrastructure development, energy governance, energy access and consumption patterns, economic capacity in West and North Africa, and policy frameworks for equitable energy distribution.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to assess the readiness of each country along the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline to benefit from regional energy integration, guided by questions on energy access, GDP correlation with infrastructure, the pipeline's potential for energy equity, and necessary governance frameworks.
What scientific method is used?
The study employs a comparative research design using an indicator-based approach, which involves analyzing various data points and constructing a custom Energy Integration Index (EII) to evaluate energy readiness.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part of the work covers the methodology, including research design, data collection, and data analysis methods, followed by the presentation and discussion of results concerning countries' readiness, disparities in energy access and infrastructure, and the correlation between economic capacity and integration potential.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms characterizing the work include Regional Energy Integration, Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), Energy Dependency, Africa, Energy Governance, Infrastructure Development, West Africa Regional Policy, Energy Access, and Policy Frameworks.
What is the "Energy Integration Index" (EII) and how was it used?
The Energy Integration Index (EII) is a custom-built, indicator-based framework developed in this study to measure the energy readiness of countries. It aggregates normalized scores of indicators like electricity access, gas infrastructure, electricity from gas, GDP per capita, corruption index, and gas regulation, providing a comparative score for each country.
What are some key disparities identified among countries along the pipeline?
The study reveals significant disparities in electricity access (e.g., Morocco at 100% vs. Liberia at 32.5%), natural gas consumption (highly concentrated in a few outliers like Nigeria), and operational pipeline infrastructure, indicating uneven readiness for energy integration among the transit countries.
How does GDP per capita relate to energy integration readiness?
There is a strong positive correlation (r = 0.76) between GDP per capita and the Energy Integration Index (EII). This suggests that wealthier countries are generally better positioned with stronger infrastructure and energy systems necessary for regional integration, while lower-income countries face greater challenges.
What policy recommendations are made to ensure equitable benefits from the NMGP?
The study recommends implementing Domestic Supply Obligations (DSOs) to reserve a percentage of gas for domestic use, embedding ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project equity targets into NMGP planning, and establishing a regional governance framework to monitor equitable access and infrastructure rollout.
- Citar trabajo
- Oseluoname Iyobhebhe (Autor), 2025, Pipeline of Power. Evaluating the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Project and Its Role in Redefining Energy Dependency in Africa, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1683720
