Buhari signs gas pipeline agreement, others with Morocco

The signing of the agreements, witnessed by President Buhari and King of Morocco, HM King Mohammed VI, followed a meeting between the two leaders that focused on strengthening economic relations in gas resource development, global investments and agricultural training and management.

The feasibility study of the agreement on the pipeline, which was signed by the Group General Manager NNPC, Group, Mr Farouq Said Garba, and Mrs Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbon and Mines, will be concluded by July 2018.

The construction of the pipeline will be phased and based on increasing needs of the countries crossed, and Europe, for the period of 25 years.

The Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), designed to be 5,660km long, will reduce gas flaring in Nigeria and encourage diversification of energy resources in the country, while cutting down poverty through the creation of more job opportunities.

The Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for domestic needs (cooking, etc) and discourage desertification.

The MD/CEO, NSIA Nigeria, Mr Uche Orji and the CEO of the Office of the Management of Phosphate in Morocco, Mr Mostafa Terrab signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the development of a chemical plant in Nigeria for producing ammonia and its derivatives.

The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and his Moroccan counterpart, Mr Aziz Akhannouch, signed a cooperation agreement on vocational training and technical supervision, which will enhance skills on better management of agricultural outfits in Nigeria.

Earlier, Buhari, who was received by a large crowd from the airport to the Rabat Royal Palace, assured King Mohammed VI of Nigeria’s full commitment to the actualisation of all the agreements signed.