info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Image from Moroccoworldnews
The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, which is set to span across West Africa from Nigeria to Morocco, may one day traverse the continent into Europe.
Construction on the pipeline began in June 2021, although Morocco and Nigeria formally announced the original project outline in late 2016.
The project seeks to bolster both Morocco’s and Nigeria’s positions in the region as economic leaders. In line with its return to the African Union in 2017 and its bid to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Morocco has continued to launch new economic initiatives to further African integration.
According to the East African journal, Nigeria now intends to supply Europe with gas from the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline.
In a statement to the journal, Nigeria’s Junior Petroleum Minister, Timipre Sylva, said that “Morocco shares boundaries with Europe. So, once it gets to Morocco, we can hook up with their pipeline system and take our gas straight to Europe through pipelines.”
“President Muhammadu Buhari and the King of Morocco are very committed to it and we believe that we will take it to an advanced stage,” added the minister.
The two African countries’ dedication to serving the region’s natural gas needs also aims to reduce Africa’s reliance on foreign energy suppliers in the Middle East and China.
Other gas pipeline projects in the region such as the Ajaokuta, Kaduna, and Kano gas pipeline (AKK), have already begun the process of stabilizing the economy on gas production and exportation within Africa.
Despite the original plan for a Trans-Saharan Pipeline, spanning from Nigeria to Algeria through Western Sahara, Nigeria ultimately decided to partner with Morocco due to security concerns. As both countries have a track record in successfully working with European nations, the projections for the pipeline to supply Europe with gas are not out of reach.
