Nigeria has approved the next phase of a new gas pipeline to Europe via Morocco

Construction of a new gas pipeline connecting Africa to Europe moved significantly closer on Wednesday after Nigeria gave the green light to its state oil company NNPC to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Western regional organization African ECOWAS.

The deal comes as Europe’s African gas supply is gaining importance as the Ukraine crisis casts doubt on Russia’s energy exports. Algeria has already agreed to increase its supply to Italy. Nigeria and Morocco signed a joint venture in 2016 to build gas pipelines to 15 West African countries via Spain and Europe via Morocco, said the country’s junior minister, Timipre Silva. Submitting application for approval.

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“We are still in the preliminary engineering design phase,” Silva said, after which the cost and funding for the pipeline will be determined. He did not say when construction would begin or end.

Nigeria and Morocco last year said the pipeline would be 5,660 km long and would be built in phases over 25 years. They have begun feasibility studies for the construction of a pipeline along the coast and coastline.