President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is firmly committed to the $25 billion Nigeria–Morocco gas pipeline project, according to Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who represented Nigeria at the executive session of the African Parliament in Casablanca, Morocco.
Speaking at the session on Tuesday, Senator Ibrahim stated, “President Tinubu will soon review all abandoned projects to ensure their completion, with the Nigeria–Morocco $25 billion gas project being first on the dashboard of the Nigerian government’s priority initiatives.”
The transcontinental pipeline is projected to span 5,660 kilometres and carry 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year. Once completed, the pipeline will pass through 13 African countries: Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco.
Ibrahim described the project as a regional game-changer. “The pipeline will create thousands of jobs, boost industrial and digital development, and contribute to a more sustainable energy future for the participating countries,” he said. He further noted that Morocco stands to benefit by supplying European markets through this initiative.
The senator also called on Morocco to ease its visa restrictions for Nigerians. “Morocco should revise its visa policy, allowing Nigerian visitors to enter without visa restrictions, given the level of opportunity that the new investment will generate for both countries,” he urged.
According to Ibrahim, the project is currently in its feasibility study and route planning phase. Although the final investment decision was initially scheduled for 2023, it has been deferred to 2025 to allow more time for planning and consultation with stakeholders.
On legislative backing, Ibrahim noted, “The Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is already working on significant legislative support for President Tinubu to eliminate, through legislation, any converging complexities that may obstruct the successful implementation of the project.”
Members of the Executive of the African Parliamentary Union expressed strong enthusiasm for the update, with Senator Ibrahim briefing them on Nigeria’s progress and commitment to regional infrastructure development.
