President Bola Tinubu is committed to the $25bn gas pipeline project between Nigeria and Morocco, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Nigeria at the executive session of the African Parliament Union, announced on Wednesday in Casablanca.
The senator stated that this gas initiative is at the forefront of the Nigerian government’s priority projects, with Tinubu poised to review all abandoned projects to ensure their swift completion.
According to Ibrahim, the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline is designed to transport 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year across a distance of 5,660 km.
The pipeline’s route will traverse 13 African countries, including Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco, with Nigeria serving as the central gas supplier.
Ibrahim highlighted the transformative potential of the project, emphasising its expected impact on job creation and regional development.
“This project is expected to create thousands of jobs, boost industrial and digital development, and contribute to a more sustainable energy future for the participating countries,” he explained.
He further noted the significant advantage for Morocco, which stands to benefit from supplying European countries with gas.
In light of the opportunities the project is set to generate, Ibrahim urged Morocco to consider revising its visa policy for Nigerian visitors.
He called for the Atlantic to be opened to create more opportunities and for Morocco to “allow Nigerian visitors to enter without visa restrictions, given the level of opportunity that the new investment will generate for both countries.”
Currently, the project is in its feasibility study and route planning phase, with ongoing discussions involving relevant authorities and stakeholders.
The Final Investment Decision, initially slated for 2023, has been postponed to 2025, reflecting the complexity and scale of the undertaking.
Ibrahim also revealed that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is actively working to provide legislative support for Tinubu’s vision.
This legislative backing aims to “eliminate, through legislation, any converging complexities that may obstruct the successful implementation of the project.”
The executive members of the African Parliament Union expressed excitement regarding the developments of the Nigeria-Morocco gas project, following the briefing by the senator.
