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Doha – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is organizing a regional workshop from October 8-11 in Lagos, Nigeria, dedicated to reviewing and adopting the Host Government Agreement (HGA) for the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline project.
This strategic project, launched by King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, is now supported by current President Bola Tinubu.
The regional workshop, held in partnership with Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) tasked with developing the project, brings together all concerned countries, ministerial departments, and national oil companies at the expert level from 13 involved nations.
It follows multiple rounds of negotiations on the provisions of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and HGA organized in Rabat, Marrakech, and Abidjan.
The workshop aims to finalize the draft of the HGA, which will be signed between each country and the company responsible for the project.
An ONHYM representative highlighted in a statement that the presence of experts and representatives from all involved countries reflects their willingness and commitment to contribute to the implementation and realization of this strategic and structural project.
“This pioneering project, which symbolizes the relevance of South-South cooperation, will contribute to economic and social development, particularly through the development of various industries in the region,” the representative further noted.
The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline has been progressing well since its initiation in 2016.
In July, high-level talks were held in Rabat, bringing together officials from 12 West African nations, ECOWAS representatives, and Moroccan government agencies to advance the project.
Substantial progress was made in finalizing feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, and the necessary legal framework.
In August, Amina Benkhadra, Director General of ONHYM, stated that the project is advancing “extremely favorably” thanks to the commitment of all the countries involved.
She made this statement on the sidelines of a regional workshop in Abidjan for reviewing and validating the IGA and HGA of the project.
The pipeline, spanning approximately 6,000 km with a capacity of about 30 billion cubic meters, aims to boost Africa’s energy infrastructure by facilitating the export of Nigerian natural gas to Europe.
It is expected to enhance energy access in West Africa, drive economic and social development, and foster greater regional integration.
The project is also set to contribute to political, economic, and social stability in the region and enhance energy security both between Africa and Europe as well as within the African continent.
Read also: Morocco’s Strategic Progress Toward Intermediate Global Power Status
