The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco on Monday 11 June 2018 signed 3 agreements in Rabat, the capital of Morocco on a gas pipeline, a basic chemicals platform, and agricultural cooperation.
The signing of the agreements, witnessed by Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria president and King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, focused on strengthening economic relations in gas resource development, agricultural training & management and global investments, as compiled from the office of Nigerian presidency.
The joint declaration by the two countries laid out the next steps for the completion of a gas pipeline deal that will be built onshore and offshore. This is following an earlier agreement to the pipeline by the two countries in December 2016 and launched feasibility studies ending with a plan to build the pipeline onshore and offshore.
“The regional gas pipeline when executed will see Nigeria providing gas to countries in West Africa sub-region that extend to Morocco and Europe,” Nigeria presidency said in a tweet.
The construction of the pipeline will be phased and based on increasing needs of the countries crossed, and Europe, for the period of 25 years.
However the cost of such a project has not be made known to Nigerians.
The feasibility study of the agreement on the pipeline, which was signed by Farouq Said Garba, the Group General Manager of National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbon and Mines (NHM), will be concluded by July 2018.
The Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), designed to be 5,660km long, will reduce gas flaring in Nigeria and encourage diversification of energy resources in the country, while cutting down poverty through the creation of more job opportunities. The gas pipeline project will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for domestic needs and discourage desertification.
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