Senegal’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Dioum, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the success of the strategic Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project during a recent meeting in Dakar. This statement was made ahead of a visit by senior U.S. officials to Mexico.
Dioum, who met with Amina Benkhadra, the General Director of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, emphasized the strategic importance of the gas pipeline project initiated by King Mohammed VI of Morocco and the former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. He stated that this ambitious project would benefit the people and economies of the region.
He also mentioned plans for a special program between Senegal and Morocco to advance this project, which is expected to enhance South-South cooperation among countries in the region. Dioum highlighted the longstanding relations between Senegal and Morocco, guided by the visionary leadership of King Mohammed VI and President Macky Sall, and noted the unique political, economic, social, and cultural ties between the two nations.
Regarding the prospects for cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector, the Senegalese official emphasized the need to continue strengthening the bilateral partnership in this strategic area. This meeting took place alongside work meetings organized between the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Minerals and the holding company “Petrosen” on cooperation in the research, production, and transportation of hydrocarbons, and the monitoring of the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project.
In this context, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Minerals and “Petrosen” Holding, relating to work programs for the exploration, development, and transportation of gas.
The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project is a significant trans-continental initiative that aims to create a new pathway for the delivery of natural gas resources from Nigeria to various countries in West and North Africa. This pipeline, once completed, will be approximately 5,660 kilometers long and traverse 13 African countries, eventually ending at Tangiers in Morocco, with a potential extension to Europe through Spain.
The project, proposed in December 2016 following an agreement between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), is part of Nigeria’s “Decade of Gas Master Plan,” launched in 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari. This master plan aims to enhance Nigeria’s gas production and exports. The project aligns with Morocco’s South-South cooperation policy, upheld by King Mohammed VI, and is anticipated to foster a competitive regional power market and benefit the economies and people of West Africa.
A feasibility study for the pipeline began in August 2017, with NNPC and ONHYM completing it in January 2019. Penspen Engineering Company was awarded a contract to carry out the first phase of the project’s front-end engineering and design in the same month. The proposal for the pipeline was presented at a special meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in August 2019, where it received positive remarks from the Director of Energy and Mining of ECOWAS.
The pipeline, estimated to cost around $25 billion, will be constructed in phases over 25 years. As of June 2023, several countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Guinea, and Benin, have signed agreements to participate in the project, with a total of ten states now involved. The pipeline construction, expected to be completed by 2046, is still in the pre-construction phase, with ongoing technical design and planning stages.
