Morocco and Algeria are advancing competing pipeline projects aimed at transporting Nigerian natural gas to European markets, a strategic move that highlights the geopolitical and economic rivalry between the two North African nations. The proposed Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline (MNGA), a long-discussed offshore project spanning approximately 5,660 kilometers along the West African coast, has seen renewed diplomatic activity. In late 2025 and early 2026, Moroccan and Nigerian officials held high-level meetings to reaffirm their commitment to the initiative, which is intended to supply both West African nations and Europe.
Concurrently, Algeria is promoting the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), a 4,128-kilometer onshore project that would run from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria, connecting to existing pipelines to Europe. The TSGP, a decades-old concept, gained significant momentum following a memorandum of understanding signed between Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria in 2022. Recent reports indicate continued trilateral technical discussions, positioning it as a direct competitor to the Moroccan route.
The rivalry extends beyond infrastructure, reflecting deeper regional tensions and a race to secure a role as a key energy hub for Europe, which is seeking to diversify its gas supplies. Algeria, already a major gas exporter to Europe via pipelines to Italy and Spain, views the TSGP as a way to consolidate its position. Morocco, which currently imports gas via a pipeline from Algeria (now suspended due to diplomatic tensions), sees the MNGA as a path to energy independence and a new export revenue stream.
Both projects face substantial hurdles, including securing an estimated $20-25 billion in financing each, navigating complex security environments in the Sahel region—particularly for the onshore TSGP—and managing the geopolitical friction between Algiers and Rabat. The final realization of either pipeline will depend on these financial, security, and political challenges being overcome, with significant implications for the energy security of Europe and the economic future of West and North Africa.
