Algeria intends to revive the trans-Saharan gas pipeline project, as President Abdelmadjid Tebboune confirmed on Monday, during his meeting with the head of the ruling military junta in Niger, that practical measures would begin after the next month of Ramadan. The project, whose idea goes back to the 1970s, is a promising strategic option in the context of the major transformations witnessed in global energy markets. However, according to experts, it may face a number of challenges, most notably the security risks in some transit areas, the difficulty of mobilizing funding, in addition to the fluctuations in the political and regional climate.

Published on: 02/17/2026 - 16:49 Last updated: 02/17/2026 - 17:32

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Monday the start of implementation of the trans-Saharan gas pipeline project through Niger. During a press conference while receiving the head of the ruling military junta in Niger, General Abderrahmane Tiani, Tebboune explained that the practical procedures for the project will begin in March immediately after the next month of Ramadan, stressing Algeria’s readiness to accompany Niger and provide the necessary support and capabilities for the success of the project.

Upon completion of its construction, this pipeline is supposed to transport billions of cubic meters from Nigeria to Niger and then Algeria, and from there to the European Union, whether through the “Transmed” pipeline, which transports gas from Algeria to Italy via Tunisia, or by converting it into liquefied natural gas and transporting it on board cargo ships.

A huge continental project

The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project, known as TSGP, which is the largest proposed energy infrastructure project on the African continent, aims to transport natural gas from Nigeria through the territory of Niger to Algeria, and from there to European markets via the Algerian pipeline network linked to the Mediterranean.

The idea of ​​the project dates back to the 1970s, when the possibility of linking Nigerian gas reserves to the northern markets was first proposed. However, the practical path began to take shape at the beginning of the new millennium, as a first memorandum of understanding was signed between Algeria and Nigeria in 2002, before a tripartite governmental agreement was signed between Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger in 2009 to materialize the project, without it then entering the actual implementation stage due to financing, security, and technical considerations.

Read also: The Algerian President announces the end of tension with Niger while receiving Abderrahmane Tiani

The planned line extends over a total distance of approximately 4,128 km, distributed over 1,037 km within Nigeria, 841 km in Niger, and 2,310 km in Algeria.

It will start from the gas fields in southern Nigeria and head north, crossing the Sahara until it reaches the Algerian network, specifically linking to the gathering center in Hassi R’Mel, which is one of the most important gas export hubs in Algeria.

The declared design capacity of the pipeline is approximately 30 billion cubic meters annually. This is a size that would constitute a significant addition to the supplies heading towards Europe if the project enters into operation.

The initial estimates of its cost, as announced during the first studies phase in the first decade of the millennium, were estimated at around 13 billion US dollars, noting that these estimates remain linked to a previous time context and may be affected by inflation factors and changes in the prices of materials and engineering services.

Strategic choice

The project witnessed a new impetus starting in 2022 in the context of the major transformations witnessed by global energy markets following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February of the same year. Europe has renewed its search for alternative sources of gas, which has re-shed the spotlight on the desert transit line as a potential strategic option.

In this context, the tripartite ministerial meetings between Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger resumed during 2022, and it was announced that the technical and economic feasibility studies would be updated.

In 2025, additional agreements were signed between the three countries to accelerate the procedural path of the project, including the process of updating studies and the cooperation framework between national energy companies.

In February 2026, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that the project would enter the practical phase after Ramadan of the same year, indicating the transition from the studies phase to the initiation of field implementation steps.

Strategically, the project has multiple dimensions. For Nigeria, it represents a direct land access to the European market outside the liquefied natural gas routes.

For Niger, it represents a potential source of revenues, transit fees, and infrastructure opportunities. As for Algeria, it sees it as strengthening its role as a regional hub for transporting and exporting gas towards Europe through its existing networks in the Mediterranean.

It is also viewed in Europe within the context of diversifying sources of supply and reducing dependence on traditional suppliers, although its implementation remains linked to securing financing and long-term stability in the Sahel region.

Etienne Fabaka Sissoko, a professor at the University of Bamako who specializes in African affairs, believes that the project aims primarily to “connect Nigerien gas reserves to the Algerian network, which is already connected to European markets.”

For Algeria, “the bet is to consolidate its position as a strategic supplier in the context of reshaping the energy map in Europe. As for Niger, it sees the project as a lever for transit revenues and an enhancement of its diplomatic position. For Nigeria, the project provides an additional export outlet that complements the gas stations in the Gulf of Guinea.”

Security and financial challenges

Despite this importance, the project has historically faced a number of challenges, most notably security risks in some transit areas, and the difficulty of mobilizing huge funding for a project that extends through a harsh desert environment. In addition to the fluctuations in the political and regional climate over the past two decades, these are factors that have contributed to delaying implementation repeatedly since the signing of the 2009 agreement.

However, the announcement of moving to a practical stage in 2026 is a remarkable development in the course of a project that has been in the category of studies and statements for many years.

For his part, Etienne Fabaka Sissoko, an analyst specializing in African affairs, confirmed that the main challenge is primarily security. The pipeline's route passes through areas where armed groups and transnational criminal networks are active, especially since protecting a linear infrastructure extending more than four thousand kilometers "requires sustained military coordination, effective exchange of intelligence information, and a minimum of political stability, especially in Niger. Any prolonged deterioration in the security situation would weaken the credibility of the project's timetable and raise its cost."

The second challenge, according to the spokesman, “is financial and institutional. The project requires huge investments, solid sovereign guarantees, and a predictable regulatory environment.”

In contexts characterized by state fragility, the fundamental issue does not lie in technical feasibility, but rather in the ability of states to secure the space, stabilize the rules of the game, and fulfill their obligations in the long term.

Despite all these challenges, the trans-Saharan gas pipeline remains a project with a continental and international dimension at the same time, in which African development stakes intersect with European energy security considerations, awaiting the results on the ground that the newly announced implementation phases will produce.

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