NNPC Signs MOU With National Oil Companies of Five Countries On Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has signed five Memoranda of Understanding with the national oil companies and relevant entities of five African countries on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project.

The five National Oil Companies and relevant entities are from Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone.

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The signing ceremony was held on Monday in Morocco.

It was attended by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari; Dr. Amina Benkhadra-General Director of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines; Mr Baboucarr Njie, Managing Director of the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)- Gambia and Celedonio Placido Viera, General Director of PETROGUIN- Guinea Bissau.

Also in attendance are Mr Amadou Doumbouya, Director General of the National Company of Oil (SONAP)- Guinea; Mr Foday B.L. Mansaray II, Director-General of Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) and Dr Ben K.D Asante, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company.

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Speaking at the event, Mr. Kyari commended the NNPC’s partners ONHYM who have diligently worked with the NNPC Limited all through the years to bring the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project to limelight.

Kyari said it is comforting to witness the steady growth of the project, especially with the inclusion of NNPC’s counterparts and key institutions from other African Countries through execution of the relevant Memoranda of Understanding.

He recalled that on 15th September 2022, the NNPC Limited and ONHYM signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ECOWAS Commission in Morocco, adding that this event is coming a month after the NNPC signed additional MoUs with Petrosen of Senegal and SMH of Mauritania.

He said, “Today, we will be attaining another feat by signing five MoUs with the National Oil Companies and relevant entities from Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone.

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“From inception of the project to this stage, concerted efforts have been made by the Governments of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco, which led to the very commendable achievements recorded thus far.

“As the strategic vision of our great leaders gains momentum, I would like to express our appreciation to His Royal Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco and His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria for entrusting NNPC Limited with this strategic project.”

The NNPC Boss stated further that the African Continent stands to benefit immensely from the execution of the project which extends beyond the supply of gas to energize the Countries along the route.

He listed other benefits of the project to include the creation of wealth and improvement in the standard of living of the citizenry, increased cooperation between the Countries involved in the deal while mitigating against desertification and other benefits to be derived from reduction in carbon emission.

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He added, “Natural Gas must play a crucial role, as a transition fuel, on our path to net-zero. Gas will support the establishment of base load energy capacity, stabilization of the grid to allow for integration of renewables at scale and addressing our clean cooking fuel deficit in the form of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

“This therefore presents the opportunity of commercializing significant natural gas in the short to long term.”

He assured the partners that the NNPC Limited is well positioned to progress the Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline Project by leveraging its experience and technical capabilities, ranging from gas production, processing, transmission and marketing as well as its vast experience in executing major gas infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

“NNPC Limited will facilitate the continuous supply of gas and provide other enablers such as the required land for the first compressor station to be deployed in Nigeria, which is among the thirteen stations earmarked along the pipeline route”

“On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I would like to thank you all and welcome our West African counterparts and institutions as we continue to strengthen partnership for the benefit of our Countries,” he concluded.

The agreement with five countries is coming about three months after the NNPC Ltd sealed an MoU on gas pipeline project with the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines of Morocco and the ECOWAS Commission.

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) Project is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco and was conceived during the visit of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Nigeria in December 2016.

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