PHOTO
The UAE has agreed to contribute to funding a $25 billion project to build a pipeline to ship Nigerian gas to Europe through Morocco.
Leila Benali, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, said other financiers include the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the OPEC Fund.
Benali told Morocco’s parliament last week that China’s Jingye Steel Group has been awarded a contract to supply pipes to the project.
“Morocco has completed all preliminary feasibility and engineering studies for the planned gas pipeline that will connect Nigeria to Morocco,” she said in comments carried by Morocco’s press at the weekend.
Benali said the pipeline would be nearly 5,660-kilometre long and would start from the Southern Dakhla city in the Sahara region, where it will be linked with the pipeline in Nigeria. Dakhla will also be linked to North Morocco, where gas will be shipped to some European markets, the Minister added.
“As for finance, the project has won the support of IDB, OPEC Fund, EIB and the UAE…it will pass through 15 African countries,” she said.
The Minister last month reported that Morocco and Nigeria have agreed to create a joint venture to manage the planned pipeline.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Subscribe to our Projects' PULSE newsletter that brings you trustworthy news, updates and insights on project activities, developments, and partnerships across sectors in the Middle East and Africa.
