African leaders and energy officials on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) project, a $26 billion initiative aimed at connecting 13 African nations.

Conceived in 2016 during a visit by King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Nigeria, the project is a merger of the West African Gas Pipeline Extension Project and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project. 

At the ECOWAS Inter-Ministerial Meeting on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria, officials emphasized the project's potential to transform the region's economies. Mele Kyari, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, highlighted the need for strong collaboration to bring the project to fruition.

The AAGP is expected to monetize Nigeria's abundant natural gas resources, diversify export routes, and reduce gas flaring. The pipeline will span over 7,000 kilometers, connecting Nigeria to Morocco and potentially supplying gas to Europe.

ECOWAS Commissioner Sediko Douka and Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo underscored the project's importance in addressing energy needs and boosting economic growth. 

Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Laila Benali, also expressed optimism about the project's potential to create jobs and open new markets.

With significant progress in key agreements, the AAGP is poised to reshape Africa's energy landscape, plugging the glaring energy gap and supporting energy exports to European markets.