Nigeria and Morocco are pushing ahead with plans to develop the Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline following the completion of technical studies by the two countries.
The project is expected to strengthen regional energy security promote trade and support deeper economic integration across West Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The development was discussed during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Bianca Ojukwu and Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Nasser Bourita over the weekend.
According to a statement issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs the discussions focused heavily on the strategic gas pipeline project which is planned along the Atlantic coastline of West Africa.
The ministers described the initiative as a transformative project capable of enhancing energy access economic cooperation and regional connectivity across the sub region.
The Ministry further disclosed that technical assessments carried out by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) have now been completed.An intergovernmental agreement for the project is expected to be signed later this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and King Mohammed VI.
Beyond the gas pipeline project both countries also explored opportunities for cooperation in fertiliser production and distribution with emphasis on strengthening food security across Africa.
The ministers additionally discussed broader diplomatic and economic cooperation including plans by Nigeria to host the second session of the Nigeria Morocco Bilateral Joint Commission aimed at reviving agreements reached during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Morocco in 2018.
They also highlighted the importance of reactivating the Nigeria Morocco Business Council and noted that the AfCFTA framework together with a bilateral double taxation agreement could unlock new avenues for economic collaboration between both countries.