President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, has called on member states to collaborate and expedite action toward ensuring the realisation of the African-Atlantic gas project.

Mr Touray made the plea at a joint meeting of the Economic Community of West African States’ ministers of hydrocarbons and energy, with Morocco and Mauritania participating, on Friday in Abuja.

The energy ministers’ meeting was to deliberate on AAGP’s institutional agreements to facilitate regional access to natural gas and expansion across global markets

It is a 6,800km gas pipeline network within the ECOWAS subregion, 5,100 kilometres offshore from Nigeria to Morocco, passing through the coastal countries to Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

The president, represented by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka, said the project had already reached a critical stage of its implementation.

He said the main objective of the meeting was to provide an update on the overall progress of the project, and present to them the latest versions of the community texts.

He stated, “We have reached a critical phase in the development of this project, and it is essential for all parties to urgently collaborate and ensure that it becomes a reality. This project is of vital importance for our region, as increased access to natural gas will not only boost our electricity production/generation capacity, but will also drive economic, industrial, and agricultural growth across the region. As a transitional energy source, abundant natural gas usage in the region will support our countries in contributing to global climate change efforts, advancing clean and sustainable mobility, and promoting the use of clean cooking solutions.’’

Mr Touray also urged member states to boost renewable energy, saying it was essential to develop strategies, initiatives, action plans, and regulatory frameworks to increase its share in the subregion’s energy mix.

“Currently, the use of renewable energy in our region is marginal, apart from hydroelectric sources, which themselves are underutilised, that is, only at 20 per cent. For us, the main challenges facing the ECOWAS region are the shortage of energy production capacity and the need to cover energy demand, as well as access issues. This forum therefore provides an opportunity to take measures to strengthen our regional structures in the energy sector, each of which is experiencing its challenges,” the president said.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Expo, said that the proposed African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline when operational would bolster Africa’s energy security and unlock new markets.

According to him, linking Nigeria’s natural gas reserves to North Africa and Europe would expand opportunities for economic growth, job creation, industrialisation, and benefiting communities across the linkage countries.

He described the AAGP as a crucial step toward achieving the vision of an integrated hydrocarbon and energy infrastructure within Africa and a reflection of ECOWAS’ strategic vision for a connected and economically vibrant pipeline network.

He said, “The draft agreement is therefore an affirmation of our commitment to enhance trade within ECOWAS and other African countries, facilitating natural gas access across the region, and expansion in global gas markets.’’.

AAGP is the outcome of the merging of the West African Gas Pipeline Extension Project  and Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project into a single gas power plant project.

The merger was approved by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at their 63rd Ordinary Session on July 9, 2023.

(NAN)