Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline Project Raises Tensions with Algeria

Morocco and Nigeria are working to finalize the Atlantic African gas pipeline project from Morocco to Nigeria. With a total cost of around $25 billion, this future 5,600 km long gas pipeline will start in Nigeria and cross 13 countries on the West African coast to reach Morocco, where it will be connected to the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, and then to the entire European gas network. Its capacity is 30 billion cubic meters per year. This project is "a stimulating factor for regional development and for the creation of economic integration between the countries concerned by this strategic project, in addition to its contribution to the link between the African and European continents," Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition, recently declared.

While this project is progressing, Algiers fears that it will sweep away the Nigeria-Niger-Algeria gas pipeline project. On Wednesday, the Algerian Minister of Energy, Mohamed Arkab, traveled to Niamey to meet with the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum, Mahaman Moustapha Barké Bako, in order to revive the bilateral relations between the two countries that have deteriorated in recent months. The two officials discussed several cooperation issues, including the Nigeria-Niger-Algeria gas pipeline project. Algiers is seriously seeking to relaunch discussions with the military authorities in Niger regarding the future of this project, reports Echorouk, adding that the two ministers discussed the state of bilateral and historical cooperation and ways to strengthen and develop it, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector. They also agreed to "continue the coordination meetings" to examine the aspects of the trans-Saharan gas pipeline project.

The discussions between Arkab and Bako also focused on the activity of the oil and gas company, Sonatrach, in Niger, particularly at the oil field in the Kafra region.