The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (“NMGP”) is a new regional onshore and offshore gas pipeline that is intended to deliver natural gas resources of Nigeria to 13 countries in the West and North Africa as a continuation of the existing West Africa Gas Pipeline (“WAGP”) between Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana.
Starting from Nigeria, the 5,660 kilometers long NMGP will pass through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, and Mauritania, to end at Tangiers, a Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar, with a possible extension to Europe through Spain.
The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project is estimated to cost US$ 25bn and it will be completed in stages over 25 years.
The project falls in line with the “Decade of Gas Master Plan” that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari launched in 2020. The master plan seeks to bolster Nigeria’s gas production and gas exports.
On the Moroccan side, this landmark project is part of the South-South cooperation upheld by King Mohammed VI. It is expected to create a competitive regional power market and benefit all West African people, countries, and their economies.
Also read: Nigeria and Morocco sign five MoUs, boost to Gas Industry
Project timeline
2016
The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project was proposed in December 2016 following the signing of an agreement between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Moroccan Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) or rather the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines.
2017
In August, NNPC and ONHYM began conducting a feasibility study for the project.
2019
NNPC and ONHYM completed the feasibility study for the construction of the pipeline in January, and in the same month, the two countries awarded Penspen Engineering Company a contract o carry out the first phase of projects front-end engineering & design.
In August, NNPC and ONHYM presented the pipeline proposal at a special meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during which the Director of Energy and Mining of ECOWAS spoke positively of the project.
2020
In March, the front-end engineering & design entered the second phase.
2021
In February, King Mohammed VI and President Muhammadu Buhari affirmed their commitment to the construction of the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
In June 2021, the Chief Operating Officer of the gas and power of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Yusuf Usman announced the start of the project.
In August, Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, Timipre Sylva, announced that the government of Nigeria contemplates supplying Europe with their gas using the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
