Nigeria, Morocco Seal Deal On Regional Gas Pipeline

Buhari Reaches Three Agreements With Morocco

The Nigerian government and the Kingdom of Morocco, have signed three agreements as President Buhari continues his two day visit to the North African country.

In a statement released by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, he revealed that the agreements included that of a regional gas pipeline that would see Nigeria providing gas to countries in the West African sub-region that extends to Morocco and Europe.

The meeting, between President Muhammadu Buhari and the King of Morocco, Mohammed V1, was said to be focused on strengthening economic relations in gas resource development, global investments, and agricultural training and management.

The statement read, “The feasibility study of the agreement on the pipeline, which was signed by the Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Farouq Garba, and Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbon and Mines, will be concluded by July 2018.

“The construction of the pipeline will be phased and based on increasing needs of the countries crossed, and Europe, for the period of 25 years.

“The Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline, designed to be 5,660km long, will reduce gas flaring in Nigeria and encourage diversification of energy resources in the country, while cutting down poverty through the creation of more job opportunities.

“The NMGP will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for cooking, and discourage desertification.”

According to the presidential spokesman, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Authority, Mr. Uche Orji and the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Management of Phosphate in Morocco, Mr. Mostafa Terrab, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of a chemical plant in Nigeria for producing ammonia and its derivatives.

He added that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and his Moroccan counterpart, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, signed a cooperation agreement on vocational training and technical supervision, which will enhance skills on better management of agricultural outfits in Nigeria.

He quoted Buhari as assuring the King of Morocco of Nigeria’s full commitment to the actualisation of all the agreements signed.