The Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco, in conjunction with Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Commission of West Africa States, ECOWAS.
Ahead of the deal signing in Rabat, Morocco, Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray in Abuja.
NNPC and ONHYN will also sign MOUs with Oil companies from Senegal and Mauritania. Both countries will partake in the trans-sahara gas pipeline project.
A statement about the visit to the ECOWAS Commission and the MOUs to be signed by the three countries was released through the official twitter handle of NNPC.
Five years ago, NNPC and ONHYN began a feasibility study for the pipeline project estimated to cost $25 billion.
When completed, the over 7,000 km long gas pipeline, “being promoted by Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of Nigeria, will link Nigeria with Morocco, cross 11 west African countries and extend to Europe”.
It will be the longest offshore pipeline in the world and the second longest pipeline overall.
The NMGP pipeline, according to official record, “is expected to traverse 13 countries, and will help to boost local industries and economies by delivering a reliable and sustainable energy source”. It is expected to boost industrial development and create job opportunities.
Additionally, the pipeline project expected to be completed by 2046 will provide a new avenue for countries along the route to export their gas to their neighbouring countries and Europe.