By Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Nigeria is the most richest Country interns of Gas reserve in Africa.
It holds 187 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves as of 2017 which ranked the must populous black nation as number 9 in the world and accounting for about 3% of the world’s total natural gas reserves .
Nigeria has gss reserves equivalent to 306.3 times of its annual consumption.
This means it has about 306 years of gas left at current consumption levels .
On Thursday 15 of September this year Nigeria and Morocco signed an MoU which will not only strengthen gas business with north African Country and Europe but also among west African Countries which the gas pipe line will pass through.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines of Morocco signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the commencement of construction of the 5,600km Nigeria Morocco gas pipeline.
NNPC said the much awaited Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline project officially commenced following the signing of the MoU between the two countries and the Economic Community of West African States in Rabat Morocco.
It said the two countries and ECOWAS executed the MoU agreement on the project which was a significant step in fulfilling the Federal Government of Nigeria’s drive towards harnessing Nigeria’s abundant gas resources.
The NMGP is a 5,600km gas pipeline project traversing 13 African countries, which, when completed will provide gas from Nigeria to the West African countries up to the Kingdom of Morocco and subsequently to Europe.
Once completed, the project will supply about three billion standard cubic feet of gas per day 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.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Morocco National office for Hydrocarbons and Mines Signed the MoU for the two Countries.
Group Chief Executive officer of NNPC Ltd , Mele Kyari; signed on behalf of Nigeria while Director General of Morocco’s National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines, Dr. Amina Benkhadra, signed the bilateral on behalf of her country.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Mr. Sediko Douka, signed for the sub-regional organisation.
In his remarks during the MoU signing ceremony, Kyari described the development as a very important milestone in the NMGP project in which all the key stakeholders in the project had come together to reaffirm their commitments to deliver on the project.
While expressing his appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari and His Royal Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who both entrusted NNPC Ltd and ONHYM with the strategic project, Kyari stated that from inception of the project to this stage, concerted efforts had been made by the governments of both countries, which led to the achievements recorded so far.
He said the Federal Government and the Kingdom of Morocco would benefit immeasurably from the execution of the project, as this would extend beyond the supply of gas to energise the countries along the route.
The initiative was Conceived during the visit of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Nigeria in December 2016, the NMGP project is an initiative of the Federal Government and the Kingdom of Morocco.
It is aimed at monetising Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, thereby generating additional revenue for the country, diversifying Nigeria’s gas export routes and eliminating gas flaring across the country.
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 all the way to Spain.
More employment will be created as a result of NMGP Project
Dr. Abdussalam Muhammad Kani is the Executive Director Fiscal Discipline and Development Advocacy Center (FIDAC) and a lecturer with Department of Economics Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education Kumbotso Kano.
Executive Director Fiscal Discipline and Development Advocacy Centre (FIDAC) and Lecturer at Department of Economics Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education Kano.
The economist says the main objective of this project is to ensure the Passage of gas from Nigeria to Morocco with an ultimate goal of extending it to the neighbouring European Countries.
Dr. K’ani said looking at present stage globally Nigeria is number 20 interns of gas production,
which it was initially number six before falling to nine and presently 20 .
This shows that Nigeria lack technical know in boosting investment in such lucrative sector.
He said even though Nigeria delayed the process of the MoU which was signed since December 2016 and presently the agreement is reactivated by moving to the engineering design level of the project, then the coast implication . The project will create More employment opportunities to Nigeria,Morocco and other African Countries along the pipeline routes directly and Indirectly.
The Economist said certainly Nigeria will be the highest beneficiary of the agreement as it will diversify it’s economy through additional foreign earning.
” It will also going to boost bilateral trade between Nigeria Morocco and other Africa Countries”.
Dr. Abdussalam K’ani stated that if that project is completed, it will assist in hydro Power generation and reduce more importation of Fertiliser in to Nigeria.
He also said in addition it will help in improving security between Nigeria and other neighbouring Countries that will benefit from the project.
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