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Rabat – The Department of Energy and Mines of the Commission of the Economic Community of the West African States (ECOWAS) is holding a discussion in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso that involves the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline project (NMGP).
ECOWAS said the meeting, which started on December 9 and continues today, serves to allow member states and the involved organizations to discuss developments and progress on the West Africa Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP), as well as its relation to the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline project.
The meeting seeks to collect “orientations of the Member States on the synergy process between WAGPEP and NMGP.”
Several representatives are taking part in the meeting, including executives from the 15 ECOWAS member states, as well as members from the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (AGAO).
From Morocco, the National Society of Hydrocarbons and Mines of Morocco (ONHYM) is participating, along with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The Nigeria-Morocco project’s strategy is set to cover 5,660 kilometers of pipeline, crossing through 15 countries in West Africa.
ECOWAS said the two pipeline projects have “roughly” the same route, emphasizing that they are at the same phase of progress.
“Since these two projects contribute to common objectives which are the development of the region’s gas resources, the supply of clean energy to countries including ECOWAS Member States, it therefore appears necessary that synergy between the Commission “of the West African organization as well as those promoting the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project be considered in order to federate efforts towards achieving their objectives.”
ECOWAS, ONHYM, and NNPC are discussing a memorandum of understanding to achieve the project’s expected objectives.
“ECOWAS Commission has deemed it useful to organize this consultation meeting with the Member States and the organizations involved in this process,” the statement concluded.
Background on the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline project
In August of last year, NNPC held a meeting with ONHYM and ECOWAS to share aspects of the progress of the gas pipeline project with ECOWAS.
Both countries presented the gas pipeline project to examine methods of cooperation between ECOWAS, NNPC, and ONHYM.
Initially, ECOWAS expressed satisfaction with the Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline initiative, which will link the two countries and serve several others in West Africa and Europe.
For ECOWAS, the project will serve as a unifying trans-regional project, contributing to achieve the objectives of the organization.
During August’s meeting, NPPC, ONHYM, and ECOWAS also discussed the findings of the study on the gas project.
ECOWAS’ positive feedback on the project could be a good sign for Morocco.
When the North African country returned to the African Union in January 2017, Morocco submitted its bid to join ECOWAS.
The project is in line with Morocco’s projects and aspirations to boost intra-African exchanges.
