Relationship dossier
Morocco
Nigeria
Relationship assessment
Economic cooperation, including energy and fertilizer initiatives, coexists with disagreement over Western Sahara.
Morocco toward Nigeria
+30Morocco has pursued economic cooperation with Nigeria through a proposed trans-African gas pipeline and support for fertilizer production in Nigeria. These initiatives provide concrete grounds for a cooperative assessment, although their implementation and long-term scope are uncertain.
Nigeria toward Morocco
+15Nigeria has cooperated with Morocco on plans for a trans-African gas pipeline and fertilizer production. Nigeria’s recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and support for Sahrawi self-determination conflict with Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship combines practical economic initiatives in energy and fertilizer with a durable political disagreement over Western Sahara. The planned pipeline and fertilizer cooperation give the relationship a substantive cooperative basis, while Nigeria’s support for Sahrawi self-determination limits political alignment. The pipeline’s realization and the extent of ongoing economic cooperation are uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Morocco and Nigeria have pursued substantial economic cooperation, including a proposed trans-African gas pipeline and Moroccan-backed fertilizer production in Nigeria. Their relationship also has a political fault line: Nigeria has recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and supported Sahrawi self-determination, positions opposed by Morocco. The scale and implementation of the economic initiatives remain important to the relationship.
Areas of tension
- Nigeria’s recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and support for Sahrawi self-determination conflict with Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.
Key developments
Morocco and Nigeria agreed to pursue a trans-African gas pipeline project.
Moroccan-backed fertilizer production initiatives were developed in Nigeria.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and long-term prospects of the proposed Morocco–Nigeria gas pipeline are unclear.
- The scale and continuing operation of Moroccan-backed fertilizer production in Nigeria are uncertain.
- The practical effect of Nigeria’s position on Western Sahara on bilateral government cooperation is unclear.