EXCERPT: The proposed $25 billion gas pipeline is expected to link Nigeria and Morocco.
As Europe continues to mount pressure on Nigeria to provide alternative gas supply to the continent, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) on Saturday signed four additional Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on the execution of the 5,600-kilometre Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP).
This is coming as the renewed war by the federal government against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism has recorded another major success as Tantita Security Services, operated by the ex-leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has uncovered another illegal pipeline used by oil thieves to siphon crude oil for export in Delta State.
The proposed $25 billion gas pipeline is expected to link Nigeria and Morocco, opening a possibility for a new energy supply path for West Africa and Europe.
THISDAY learnt that the pipeline would be an extension of the existing West African Gas Pipeline, which runs from Lagos to Cotonou, Benin; Lomé, Togo; and Tema and Takoradi in Ghana.
The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline would additionally connect Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire; Monrovia in Liberia; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Conakry, Guinea; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau; Banjul, Gambia; Dakar, Senegal; Nouakchott, Mauritania and Tangiers, Morocco with possible extension to Europe through Cádiz in Spain.
First proposed in 2016, the pipeline’s feasibility study was completed by Morocco in January 2019 and a proposal was presented at a special meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) thereafter.
In May 2022, THISDAY reported that the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development announced a contribution of $14.3 million to fund the implementation of the second phase of the pipelines’ FEED (Front-end Engineering Design) study.
Upon completion, the gas pipeline will be the world’s longest offshore pipeline and second longest pipeline overall.
In a statement issued last night, the NNPC stated that the new agreements were in furtherance of the understanding the participating countries had on September 15.
“Earlier today in Nouakchott, Mauritania, NNPC Limited, Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco, PETROSEN of Senegal and SMH of Mauritania signed four MoU, in furtherance of the implementation of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP).
“Signing the legal documents were the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari; Director General, ONHYM of Morocco, Ms Amina Benkhadra; General Manager, PETROSEN Holdings of Senegal, Adama Djallo; and Director General, SMH of Mauritania, Tourad Abdoul Baghi,” the statement stated.
In his remarks at the event, Kyari said the integration of West African economies through the NMGP was critical for the region’s economic growth, adding that NNPC was committed to converting the project into functional value for all transit nations.
“We know that this is a very critical step that we have to take in terms of integration of activities within Africa so that value can come to our people and ultimately prosperity will continue in the African region.
“The Nigeria trans-Morocco pipeline is one of the critical decisions we need to take to foster that integration and economic value and it will pass through several countries and I can confirm that ECOWAS has endorsed this project.
“So today’s meeting is in alignment with the national oil companies of Senegal, and Morocco so that we can proceed with this. We are happy this is happening and it is going to add value,” he stated.
Also speaking, DG ONHYM, Ms Benkhadra, said her organisation was committed to the integration of West African economies through the project, which she said will help cut down greenhouse emissions and meet Europe’s gas requirements.
“We are happy to be here with our brothers and we intend to make a success of this project to bring prosperity, integration, economic development, and sustainable energy to Africa because our people do not have sustainable energy,“ she explained.
On his part, the General Manager, PETROSEN Holdings, Djallo, thanked the Government of Mauritania for hosting the signing ceremony of the execution of the NNPC/ONHYM/Petrosen Tripartite MoU, adding that the Senegalese national oil company will work with all partners to make the cooperation successful.
Saturday’s MoU signing was a follow-up to the MoU signed between NNPC, ONHYM of Morocco and the ECOWAS, on September 15, 2022, in Rabat, Morocco.
When completed, the NMGP project will supply about 3 billion standard cubic feet per day (scf/d) of gas along the West African Coast from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania to Morocco.
The NNPC is also championing another transcontinental gas pipeline that would start from Nigeria to European markets through northern Algeria.
Ejiofor Alike in Lagos, Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Follow us on:
