Nigeria and Morocco have agreed to establish a pipeline to ferry Nigeria’s natural gas to North Africa and Europe, reports Reuters.
The 4,000 kilometres long pipeline is expected to enhance energy production in West Africa plus create industrial hubs that will attract foreign investment.
Although a definite route has not been set, the pipeline will run across the coastal line of West Africa, passing through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania, before going through the disputed Western Sahara before getting to Morocco.
“The Trans-African Pipeline will improve access to energy across West Africa … helping address one of the region’s most significant barriers to development … (and) will strengthen energy exports to Europe, linking Nigerian gas to the European energy market through Morocco,” a joint statement said Wednesday
King Mohammed VI of Morocco signed the agreement with Nigeria’s President Buhari this week, while the King was visiting the West Afrcian nation.
Nigeria has world’s 9th highest proven gas reserves but suffers a massive shortage of power and attacks from militants on gas pipelines.
