Nigeria, Morocco Sign Agreements on Gas Pipeline, Chemical Plants, Agric Training

Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco on Monday in Rabat, Morocco signed agreements on regional gas pipelines, chemical plants and agriculture training.

A statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Malam Garba Shehu, said the signing of the agreements was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari and King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Accordiing to the statement, the signing of the agreements followed a meeting between the two African leaders that “focused on strengthening economic relations in gas resource development, global investments and agricultural training and management.”

The regional gas pipeline agrrement, which was signed by the Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Farouq Said Garba, and Mrs Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbon and Mines, will see Nigeria providing gas to countries in West Africa sub-region that extend to Morocco and Europe.

The statement said the feasibility study of the agreement on the pipeline would be concluded by July 2018.

It also said the construction of the pipeline would be in phases 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 NMGP will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for cooking, and discourage desertification,” the statement said.

Also at the ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Authority, Mr Uche Orji, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Management of Phosphate in Morocco, Mr Mostafa Terrab, signed a Memorandom of Understanding for the development of a chemical plant in Nigeria for producing ammonia and its derivatives.

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

In his remarks, President Buhari assured the King Mohammed VI of Nigeria’s full commitment to the actualisation of all the agreements signed.

President Buhari arrived in Rabat on a two-day working visit to Morocco on Sunday.

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