The Nigerian Minister of State of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva met with the Ministry of Petroleum of the Republic of Niger to establish a multi-billion Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), alongside Algeria and Nigeria.
The announcement was made through an official press statement distributed by APO Group where the Minister of Petroleum for the Republic of Niger, H.E. Mahamane Sani Mahamadou was in a meeting with the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva in Abuja to discuss the implementation process.
Executive Chair of the Germany Africa Business Forum, Sebastian Wagner, stated that “The African Energy Chamber (AEC) lauds the energy ministers and heads of NOCs of Algeria, Nigeria, and Algeria for their efforts in fast-tracking the development of the TSGP.
“The creation of a Steering Committee and roadmap for TSGP, coupled with the recent signing of an agreement between APPO and Afreximbank for the creation of an African Energy Bank, is a huge testimony of how Africa can enhance cooperation and leverage domestic solutions to optimise its oil and gas market.”
Wagner added that “What we want to see is African financiers rallying towards supporting the rollout of TSGP. Increased oil and gas exploration, production, and assets development is what will bring Africa out of energy poverty by 2030.”
The Steering Committee which was made up of the three Ministers and Director Generals of the NOCs will be responsible for updating the feasibility study for TSGP and will meet at the end of July 2022 in Algiers to discuss how to progress with the TSGP project.
“The TSGP project will bring in a new era of energy reliability for Africa due to limited investments in energy projects, delays in exploration, production, and infrastructure rollout, the COVID-19 pandemic, and global energy transition-related policies.
“The project will also bring a connection between Nigeria and Algeria’s gas fields to European markets but will bring and also significant benefits to Niger through the 4,128 km pipeline running from Warri in Nigeria to Hassi R’Mel in Algeria via Niger,” the statement read in part.
It added, “Not only will the $13bn projects drive socioeconomic growth by unlocking massive investments across the energy sector but will also help create jobs in various industries including energy, petrochemicals, and manufacturing while optimising energy production and positioning Africa as a global energy hub.
The pipeline will enable up to 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas to be traded yearly enhancing regional and international energy trade, enabling Niger to expand the role of natural gas in its energy mix and address energy poverty.
At the meeting, the three countries established a task force and roadmap for the development of the TSGP. The agreement came after they had signed the ‘Niamey Declaration’.
