Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger have signed new agreements to accelerate the long-awaited Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), a project designed to transport billions of cubic meters of natural gas from West Africa to Europe.
The contracts, signed in Algiers, include an update to the feasibility study and non-disclosure agreements among the state energy companies of the three nations.
First announced in 2009, the 4,128-kilometer pipeline would carry gas from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria, where it could be transported to Europe via the undersea Mediterranean pipeline Trans med or exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
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Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab stated that the feasibility study update would determine the “required means for accelerating the development of this major project in a timely manner and at competitive costs.” However, officials did not provide a revised cost estimate for the pipeline, which was initially projected at $10 billion.
The TSGP has gained renewed momentum due to soaring global gas demand and rising energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The project is seen as a strategic initiative to enhance energy security and diversify gas supply routes for Europe.
