The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the execution of the $26 billion African Atlantic Gas Pipeline project in collaboration with Morocco, Mauritania, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL’s) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, made the promise on behalf of the Nigerian government on Monday during the ECOWAS Inter-Ministerial Meeting on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project held in Abuja.
The project is designed to boost economic growth throughout the region by connecting at least 13 countries with gas supply infrastructure for industrial and other needs.
Kyari, who was represented at the meeting by the NNPCL’s Executive Vice President for Gas Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, harped on the importance of the decisions reached at the meeting, saying they will impact on the project’s implementation with the attendant benefits to economies and the quality of life for people in the region.
He expatiated: “Today, we come together to make significant progress in the African Atlantic gas pipeline project, perhaps the largest African project, a transformative initiative that promises to connect at least 13 African nations in shared prosperity and development.
“Decisions made here will shape the future of the African Atlantic gas project, ensuring a positive impact on the economics of our nation and the lives of our people. A lot of progress has been made with the front-end engineering design, phase two study is now completed and work is ongoing for service environmental and social impact assessments and the land acquisition and resettlement.
“These achievements underscore our shared capacity and resolve to bring this partner project to fruition, demonstrating both the project’s viability and our capability for effective execution.
“Supported, of course, by strong regional collaboration, which we continue to appreciate, NNPC is well positioned to progress this project by leveraging on its expertise across that production, processing, transmission, and marketing and experience having executed similar projects”, Kyari added.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, maintained that the project would change the continent’s energy environment.
According to him, the draft agreements on the project “have the potential to transform our energy landscape, boost our economies, and elevate our people at a pivotal moment,”
Ekpo stressed that the agreements should show a strong commitment to growing Africa’s participation in the global gas market, improving access to natural gas in West Africa, and advancing energy and hydrocarbon trade among ECOWAS countries.
Speaking at the meeting, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Laila Benali, expressed optimism that the project would open up new markets and create jobs across the regions covered by it.
While stressing the need for stronger collaboration on the implementation of the project, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka, said: “We have reached a critical phase in the development of this project, and it’s crucial for all parties to work closely to bring it to fruition.”
