Government of Morocco is expected to launch tenders as part of the initial phases of the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline in 2025.
News outlet Asharq Al-Awsat said the new progress is part of the 2025 Action Plan from the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), adding that the tenders will cover the parts of the pipeline in Morocco.
The project’s first phase will include Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal, and additional agreements for gas transport will be signed next year, the news outlet added.
“A private company will be established to manage the construction, operation, and maintenance of the project,” Asharq quoted a document related to the project that the news outlet assessed.
The 5,600 kilometers pipeline is expected to cover 16 countries most of which are along the Atlantic coast.
It will also be connected to the Morocco-Europe gas pipeline and the European gas network, the news outlet said, adding that the pipeline will not only benefit Africa but also Europe.
The project is being regarded as a milestone initiative, reflecting Morocco’s commitment to supporting economic integration and development across Africa.
“This is a project for peace, for African economic integration, and for co-development: a project for the present and for future generations,” King Mohammed VI said in a 2022 speech.
The pipeline aims to benefit over 340 million people, with Morocco hosting 1,672 kilometers of the route.
Several countries have signed agreements with Morocco, endorsing the project.
In June of last year, ONHYM signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and petroleum operators in four countries, including the Republic of Guinea, Liberia, Benin, and Cote d’Ivoire.
Several other countries also signed MoUs with Morocco and Nigeria last year, including Mauritania and Senegal, as well as The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
These agreements reflect the signee countries’ shared commitment to the realization of this strategic project.
Source: orientalnewsng.com