Algeria has launched the operational phase of the long-awaited trans-Sahara gas pipeline, a project that aims to link Nigeria, Niger, and Algeria and deliver substantial volumes of gas to European markets. The initiative comes as European nations seek alternatives to Russian gas.

A delegation from Algeria’s state energy company, Sonatrach, visited Niger to finalize technical plans for the $13 billion project. Construction will start immediately after Ramadan, according to official reports.

The 4,100-kilometer pipeline is designed to transport gas from Nigeria’s Warri fields to Algeria’s Hassi R’Mel hub, where it will connect with existing pipelines feeding Europe. The project, first proposed in the 1970s, was assessed as technically and economically viable in a 2006 study by the engineering firm Penspen.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has confirmed that Sonatrach will lead the multi-billion-dollar construction. Once operational, the pipeline could deliver up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually, complementing Algeria’s existing exports, which reached 54 billion cubic meters in 2021, mainly to Italy and Spain.

Analysts view the project as a major step toward diversifying Europe’s gas supply and enhancing energy security amid global geopolitical tensions.