By Yemi Olakitan
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) yesterday signed four new Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the 5,600-kilometer Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, as Europe continues to put pressure on Nigeria to supply alternative gas to the continent (NMGP).
This comes as the federal government’s renewed campaign against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism has achieved yet another significant victory. Tantita Security Services, run by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, a former leader of the disbanded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has discovered yet another illegal pipeline that oil thieves use to syphon 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.
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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.
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”.
