Algeria’s presidency in denial as Morocco-Nigeria pipeline progresses

Algeria’s president had nothing but words to attack the transatlantic pipeline that will connect Nigeria to Morocco, benefiting 13 other West African states.

Speaking at an interview with sycophant state-sponsored media, Tebboune said the trans-Saharian pipeline was an “economic project” that would connect Nigeria to Algeria to “serve Europe.”

Tebboune made the comment amid worsening ties with Algeria’s southern neighbours Mali and Niger, coupled with a surge in insecurity in the wider Sahel, where terrorist groups have often taken aim at oil and gas infrastructure.

The trans-Saharian project is in limbo due to Algeria’s unwillingness to offer access to its competitor Nigeria to the European market.

Tebboune made it clear by saying that the project is geared towards serving European interests in contrast to the Atlantic pipeline, which is primarily a project permeated by a south-south cooperation approach with a view to promoting regional trade and energy security.

As the Algerian presidency indulges in disinformation to mislead a disenchanted population amid a series of diplomatic and economic blows, Morocco and West African states are putting the final touches on the Atlantic pipeline.

Ill-advised Tebboune ignores that the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline has been backed by Nigeria’s highest authorities as well as the West African economic grouping, the ECOWAS.

A final deal involving all countries that will benefit from the gas pipeline is expected by year’s end, head of Morocco’s mines and hydrocarbons agency ONHYM Amina Benkhadra said.

The multilateral deal will define the terms of use and management of the pipeline, ONHYM said in an earlier statement.

The first phase will connect the existing Nigeria-Ghana pipeline to Côte d’Ivoire, while the second phase will link Morocco’s Maghreb- Europe pipeline to Senegal. The final step consists in linking Senegal to Côte d’Ivoire.