Morocco, Nigeria hold talks over gas pipeline project

The governments of Morocco and Nigeria have hold discussions over the Nigeria-Morocco strategic pipeline project.

The meeting which involved Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali and the Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo aimed to assess the development of the pipeline project and to discuss various energy and sustainable development initiatives between the two countries. This partnership includes the exchange of expertise, capacity building, and project development.

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Nigeria-Morocco pipeline project

According to Ekpo, the project is progressing well, indicating positive developments since its inception. He commended Morocco for its efforts in advancing the project. The Nigeria-Morocco is a major infrastructure project intended to transport natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco and onward to Europe via Spain.

The pipeline’s journey starts at Brass Island in Nigeria and extends to the northern region of Morocco. It connects with the existing Maghreb European Pipeline, originating from Algeria and extending to Spain. The project spans 5,600 kilometers and passes through 13 African countries, linking Nigeria to West African nations, Morocco, and ultimately Europe.

The existing pipeline within the corridor is currently 20 inches, but there is a proposal to increase its size to 46 inches after Togo. This expansion is intended to ensure a larger flow of gas, emphasizing the importance of natural gas as a cleaner energy source. It will have an annual capacity of 30 to 40 billion cubic meters, equating to a daily delivery of 3 billion standard cubic feet of gas.