Nigeria, Morocco sign three agreements

The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco on Monday signed agreement on regional gas pipeline, chemical plant and agricultural training.

The agreement were signed at Rabat Royal Palace, Morocco, as part of activities marking President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day visit to the country.

The Regional Gas Pipeline feasibility study which is expected to be concluded by July 2018 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.

“The Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipeline, 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,” Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement.

“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 NMGP will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for cooking, and discourage desertification.”

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 memorandum of dnderstanding for the development of a chemical plant in Nigeria for producing ammonia and its derivatives.

While on the agricultural training, the 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, which will enhance skills on better management of agricultural outfits in Nigeria.

The two African leaders are said to be in another meeting focused on strengthening economic relations in gas resource development, global investments, and agricultural training and management.