Algeria Will Market Nigerian Gas to Europe, Ambassador Mabdul Says

The Algerian-Nigerian gas pipeline project is progressing very quickly recently because the two countries succeeded in extending pipelines to Niger’s borders, and Algeria will help Nigeria market its gas in the European market, Nigeria’s ambassador to Algeria, Mohamed Mabdul, said in an interview with the Nigerian newspaper “Punch”.

The Nigerian ambassador to Algeria Mohamed Mabdul explained that the project is progressing very quickly and when it reaches the city of Kano, it will be connected across the Niger border and from there it will move to Algeria and that the Algerian pipelines have almost reached borders with Niger.

He confirmed that the project cost reaches up to 10 billion dollars and that several continental and international institutions were resorted to financing it, such as the World Bank, the African Bank and the Islamic Bank, due to the great benefit that the project provides for development in the region.

Regarding the dimensions of the project, the Nigerian ambassador says that Algeria provides the gas needs of most European countries, has a gas pipeline network of over 2,000 kilometres and contains the fourth-largest gas reserves in the world.

The problem is that Algeria cannot meet the increasing demand for gas, while there are important reserves in Nigeria, and therefore Nigerian gas will be marketed by Algeria within the framework of a win-win partnership.

Previously, the Minister of Energy, Mohamed Arkab, confirmed that the Algerian-Nigerian gas pipeline, which will connect Europe with Africa in the future, is vital for Algeria, and brings many benefits to the countries of Nigeria and Niger, economically and socially.

During the high-level meeting of the member states of the African Energy Commission to present the policy brief on natural gas in the African energy scene, Arkab asserted; “Algeria pays special attention to the completion of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project TSGP, which connects Nigerian natural gas to Europe through the Algerian gas pipeline network”.

He explained that the matter would allow the strengthening of Algeria’s relationships with Nigeria and Niger, which would benefit from the social and economic benefits resulting from this project.