The Nigeria-Morocco 700 kilometers gas pipeline project kicked off in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited, the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco and the Economic Commission of West Africa States, ECOWAS.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari had on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray in Abuja. NNPC and ONHYN who also signed MOUs with Mauritania and Senegal national oil companies.
Both countries will participate in the trans sahara gas pipeline project. A statement about the visit to the ECOWAS Commission and the MOUs to be signed by the three countries was released through the official twitter handle of NNPC.
The statement said: “In line with Federal Govt’s mandate to drive the execution of the 7000km Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) Project, GCEO, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari today ( Tuesday ) paid a courtesy call on the President of ECOWAS _cedeao Commission, H.E Dr Omar A. Touray. The visit was in preparation of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NNPC, Limited and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco and the @ecowas_cedeao, scheduled to hold on 15 September, 2022 in Rabat, Morocco. During the visit, NNPC and the @ecowas_cedeao Commission reaffirmed their commitment towards the project, which, when completed, will provide gas to the West African countries through to the Kingdom of Morocco and subsequently to Europe”.
“NNPC and ONHYM will also sign two MoUs with Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH) of Mauritania and Petrosen of Senegal, both of whom are expected to participate in the project.” In August 2017, NNPC and ONHYN began a feasibility study for the pipeline project. It is estimated to cost $25 billion dollars. When completed, the over 7,000 km long gas pipeline, ” being promoted by Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of Nigeria, will link Nigeria with Morocco, cross 11 west African countries and extend to Europe”. It will be the longest offshore pipeline in the world and the second longest pipeline overall. The NMGP pipeline, according to official record, ” is expected to traverse 13 countries, and will help to boost local industries and economies by delivering a reliable and sustainable energy source”. It will also support industrial development and create employment opportunities. Additionally, the pipeline will provide a new avenue for countries along the route to export their gas to their neighboring countries and Europe
