The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines of Morocco on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the start of construction work for a 5,600km Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
According to the statement by the NNPC, the signing of the MoU between the two countries and the Economic Community of West African States in Rabat, Morocco has signaled the commencement of the long awaited Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project.
It disclosed that the two countries and the ECOWAS Commission executed the MoU agreement on the project, which was a significant step in fulfilling the Nigerian government’s drive towards harnessing its abundant gas resources.
The NMGP is a 5,600km gas pipeline project, traversing 13 African countries, which, when completed will provide gas from Nigeria to the West African countries up to the Kingdom of Morocco and subsequently to Europe.
The project is expected to supply about three billion standard cubic feet of gas per day along the West African coast from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’’ Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania to Morocco.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while the Director-General of Morocco’s National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines, Dr. Amina Benkhadra, signed on behalf of her country.
Speaking after signing the MoU, Kyari described the development as a very important milestone in the NMGP project in which all the key stakeholders in the project had come together to reaffirm their commitments to deliver on the project.
While acknowledging the support of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and His Royal Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who entrusted NNPC Ltd and ONHYM with the strategic project, Kyari stated that from inception of the project to this stage, concerted efforts had been made by the governments of both countries, which led to the achievements recorded so far.
He said the Nigerian Government and the Kingdom of Morocco would benefit immeasurably from the execution of the project, as this would extend beyond the supply of gas to energise the countries along the route.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Mr. Sediko Douka, signed on behalf of the sub-regional organisation.
The pipeline will originate from Brass Island (Nigeria) and terminates at North of Morocco, where it will be connected to the existing Maghreb European Pipeline that originates from Algeria (via Morocco), all the way to Spain.
The project, according to the NNPC Ltd, is aimed at monetising Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, thereby generating additional revenue for the country, diversifying Nigeria’s gas export routes and eliminating gas flaring across the country.
GIK/APA