The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru has said the NNPC was considering extending the ongoing Ajaokuta – Kaduna – Kano (AKK) gas pipeline system across the Sahara to Algeria in North Africa.
The NNPC GMD disclosed this during a courtesy call on him by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) Executive in Abuja on Tuesday.
The AKK gas pipeline, Daily Trust reports, is designed to enable gas connectivity between the East, West and North of the country, which is currently inadequate.
It would also enable gas supply and utilization to key commercial centres in the Northern corridor of Nigeria.
Dr. Baru said that the expansion plan was in furtherance of NNPC’s African integration drive.
The GMD also reaffirmed the federal government’s plan to also extend the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) to Morocco.
Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco had in June 2018 in Rabat, signed agreements, for a regional gas pipeline that will see Nigeria providing gas to countries in West Africa sub-region that extend to Morocco and Europe.
The Nigeria – Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) designed to be 5,660km long, will reduce gas flaring in Nigeria and encourage diversification of energy resources in the country.
Speaking earlier, after presenting an award to Baru in recognition his sterling performance, the Chairman of PETAN, Mazi Bank Anthony Okoroafor, stated that Dr. Baru would also officially open the Nigerian Pavilion at the forthcoming Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) and serve as keynote speaker on the theme: “Nigeria’s Deepwater: The Journey So Far” at the conference.
