The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project will create wealth and improve the standard of living of countries within the African region.
Mele Kyari, its group chief executive officer, said during the signing ceremony of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project, the NNPC said in a statement on Thursday.
The Memoranda of Understanding between NNPC, the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines of Morocco, Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures of Mauritania and Petrosen of Senegal.
At the event held in Morocco, Kyari said the gas pipeline project would also help in the mitigation of desertification and other benefits that would accrue as a result of the reduction in carbon emission.
He described the event as a very important milestone in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project as it reaffirms the commitment of stakeholders to deliver on the project.
“NNPC is well positioned to progress the project by leveraging on its experience and technical capabilities ranging from gas production, processing, transmission and marketing as well as our vast experience in executing major gas infrastructure projects in Nigeria,” Kyari said.
Kyari said from the inception of the project to this stage, concerted efforts have been made by the Nigerian government and the Kingdom of Morocco, which he said led to the very commendable achievements recorded.
He expressed appreciation to King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Muhammadu Buhari for entrusting NNPC with this strategic project.
He said, “As you are aware, our countries stand to benefit immeasurably from the execution of the project which extends beyond the supply of gas to energise the countries along the route.
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“Some of the benefits include creation of wealth and improvement in standard of living, integration of the economies within the region, mitigation against desertification and other benefits that will accrue as a result of reduction in carbon emission.”
He said the NNPC would facilitate the continuous supply of gas, and provide other enablers such as the required land for the first compressor station for the pipeline to be deployed in Nigeria, which is among the 13 stations earmarked along the pipeline route.
“On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I would like to thank you all as we continue to strengthen our partnership for the benefit of our countries,” Kyari said.
The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco and was conceived during the visit of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Nigeria in December 2016.
The project is aimed at monetisation of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, thereby generating additional revenue for the country, diversifying Nigeria’s gas export routes, and eliminating gas flaring.
The pipeline is a 48 inch X 5,300km (offshore from Brass Island-Nigeria to Dakhla-Morocco) and 56” X 1,700km (onshore from Dakhla-Morocco to MEP), with a total length of about over 7,000 Km and about thirteen (Compressor Stations.
The pipeline will originate from Brass Island (Nigeria) and terminates at North of Morocco, where it will be connected to the existing Maghreb European Pipeline that originates from Algeria (via Morocco) to Spain.
Once completed, the project will supply about three billion standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of gas along the West African coast from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote D’ Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania to Morocco.
