• Algeria plans to launch construction of the $13 billion Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) after Ramadan.

• The TSGP would transport 20–30 billion cubic meters of Nigerian gas annually to Europe via Algeria’s Mediterranean infrastructure.

• Morocco advances a rival $25 billion Nigeria–Morocco pipeline with a projected capacity of up to 30 billion cubic meters per year.

Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tiani visited Algiers on February 15–16 and signaled more than a diplomatic thaw after months of tension. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced the imminent launch of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) and repositioned the project at the center of a strategic competition to provide Nigerian gas with Mediterranean access, as Europe continues to diversify its supply sources.

During a joint press conference in Algiers, Tebboune said authorities would start construction after Ramadan under the leadership of state-owned Sonatrach. Authorities framed the announcement within a broader diplomatic sequence that included the return of ambassadors, the resumption of ministerial visits, and the signing on February 11 of three agreements between Algeria, Niger and Nigeria to update the feasibility study, define a compensation mechanism and regulate information exchanges.

The TSGP would stretch more than 4,000 kilometers and connect Nigerian gas fields to Algeria’s coast before exporting volumes to Europe through existing Mediterranean infrastructure. The project would carry between 20 and 30 billion cubic meters per year and rank among Africa’s largest gas corridors. Sponsors estimate the cost at about $13 billion. Policymakers first launched the project in the early 2000s, and European market restructuring since the war in Ukraine has revived its strategic relevance.

Two Competing Corridors for the Same European Market

The rival Nigeria–Morocco gas pipeline proposes an alternative Atlantic route. The project would span more than 6,000 kilometers and cross around a dozen West African countries before linking to Morocco’s network and, ultimately, Europe. Sponsors estimate the cost at $25 billion and project annual capacity of up to 30 billion cubic meters. Promoters created a dedicated project company in September 2025 and attracted interest from multilateral lenders such as the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund.

Algeria has revived the TSGP amid direct competition between two corridors targeting the same Nigerian resource base and the same European market. The trans-Saharan route would rely on a direct Mediterranean connection, while the Moroccan route would follow the Atlantic coast before heading north to Europe. The Moroccan project would also supply regional markets along much of the Gulf of Guinea.

Algeria bases its argument on existing infrastructure. The country operates gas networks connected to Italy and maintains Mediterranean export facilities, which could allow faster integration of Nigerian gas into European flows. The Moroccan corridor would require the construction of a continuous network across multiple transit states.

Niger represents the pivot of Algeria’s strategy. Algeria and Niger normalized relations after tensions linked to the Malian drone incident and internal dynamics within the Alliance of Sahel States. Algerian officials resumed exchanges, the energy minister visited Niamey in January, and a Sonatrach delegation assessed energy projects. Tiani’s visit to Algiers consolidated that momentum.

Algeria has embedded the initiative in a broader strategy to reassert influence in the Sahel. Algeria has signed energy cooperation agreements with Burkina Faso and has sought to strengthen ties with Alliance of Sahel States members. The pipeline serves both as a diplomatic instrument and an economic asset.

Financing remains decisive. Sponsors have not yet fully secured the $13 billion required for the TSGP or the $25 billion required for the Nigeria–Morocco project. Both corridors are competing for credibility with international partners as Europe seeks durable solutions to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.

Algeria has placed the TSGP back at the center of the debate to influence future decisions by investors and European buyers. The contest now extends beyond a Maghreb rivalry and reflects two competing visions of African energy routes: a Mediterranean corridor built on existing infrastructure and an Atlantic corridor that remains largely to be constructed. Nigerian gas will reach Europe through the route that secures financing, political stability and long-term demand commitments.

Olivier de Souza