In a proactive move aimed at expediting the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, the Federal Government has intensified discussions with the Kingdom of Morocco.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Ltd., Abuja Olufemi O. Soneye reported that the high-level discussions transpired on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, concurrently with a meeting between the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, and the Moroccan Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Ms. Leila Benali.
Chaired by Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, Executive Vice President of Gas, Power & New Energy at NNPC Ltd., and Mme Amina Benkhadra, the Director General of the Morocco National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), the talks delved into strategies to advance the collaborative efforts between both nations, aligning with the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) inked in Abuja in 2022.
The central focus of the dialogue was to propel the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project, acknowledging its strategic significance for both countries and the broader African continent. The urgency to swiftly bring the project to fruition aligns with the shared objective of alleviating energy poverty in Africa.
Recalling the Cooperation Agreement signed in 2017, the monumental 48″ x 5,300Km pipeline from Nigeria to Dhakia (Morocco) and the additional 1,700km from Dhakia to Northern Morocco boast a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) annually, equivalent to 3.0 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. The pipeline’s trajectory will span through the Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and culminate in Morocco, with a supplementary spur extending to Spain.
Given the international scope of this transformative venture, the ECOWAS Commission is entrusted with overseeing pivotal responsibilities such as facilitating inter-governmental treaties, hosting government agreements, establishing the Pipeline Higher Authority, and ensuring alignment with the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), and other relevant international bodies.
This project is poised not only to facilitate the monetization of Nigeria’s abundant gas resources but also to fortify NNPC Ltd.’s position as a regional energy leader in Africa. Additionally, it stands as a catalyst for fostering economic and regional cooperation among African countries.
