An agreement between the governments of Nigeria and Algeria to build a trans-Saharan gas pipeline is expected to be signed in Abuja next week, reports Vangard.

The 4 128km pipeline is estimated to cost about $10 billion, with a further $3 billion for processing terminals, and is expected to be completed by 2015. The pipeline is thought to be intended to provide the European Union with an alternative to Russian gas, which currently accounts for a quarter of European supplies.

The new pipeline could more than double Nigeria’s gas exports from 20.5 billion cubic metres in 2008.