The Nigerian government has confirmed ongoing discussions with Libya regarding the potential construction of a gas pipeline between the two countries. These talks come as Nigeria continues consultations with Algeria and Morocco on the creation of a gas pipeline spanning thousands of kilometers, a project facing several technical, financial, and security challenges.
Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum, Ekperikpe Ekpo, met with Libya’s Acting Minister of Oil, Khalifa Abdulsadiq, on the sidelines of the “Gastech 2024” Conference in Houston, USA. Ekpo announced on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), that the proposed gas pipeline would extend from Nigeria to Libya, highlighting that this strategic meeting aimed to enhance energy cooperation between the two nations.
Talks on the Pipeline Began in June 2023
Discussions surrounding the construction of a regional gas pipeline between Nigeria and Libya have been ongoing for some time. Both countries are key oil and gas producers in Africa. The first mention of the proposed project came on June 16, 2023, when Mohamed Hamouda, spokesperson for Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), announced that the government had authorized the Ministry of Oil and Gas to conduct technical and economic feasibility studies on building a gas pipeline from Nigeria through Niger or Chad to Europe via Libya.
Former Minister of Oil and Gas, Mohamed Aoun, later confirmed that his ministry had submitted a study on the proposed Nigerian gas pipeline to Europe. The initial study favored Niger as the transit route over Chad, and a more detailed study was expected within six months, although no further updates have been provided to date.
Connecting Nigeria’s Pipeline to the “Green Stream”
Exploratory talks regarding the feasibility of this project took place between Libyan and Nigerian officials during the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) meeting in September 2023. One possibility discussed was linking the completed “Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano” pipeline in Nigeria with the Green Stream pipeline from Libya’s Wafa field, near the Algerian border.
However, the Nigerian-Libyan pipeline faces several technical, financial, and security hurdles, particularly due to the presence of Russian mercenaries in southern Libya, which could give the Kremlin control over the pipeline’s route.
Once completed, this cross-border pipeline is expected to transport gas from Nigeria to other African countries and Europe.
The Nigerian-Libyan negotiations also raise doubts about similar projects, including a 5,600-kilometer pipeline passing through Morocco and 13 other African nations: Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco.
Nigerian Gas Pipeline to Europe via Algeria
The Nigerian-Algerian gas pipeline, known as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), stretches 4,128 kilometers with an annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters. The pipeline begins in Warri, Nigeria, passes through Niger, and connects to Algeria’s Hassi R’Mel, where it links to offshore pipelines transporting gas to Europe.
Following the military coup in Niger in July 2023, concerns have emerged about potential disruptions to Algeria’s pipeline project, with both Morocco and Libya competing for the realization of similar initiatives.
According to the latest data from Nigeria’s upstream regulator, the country has crude oil reserves of 37 billion barrels and natural gas reserves estimated at 202 trillion cubic feet, with an estimated recoverable volume of 139.4 trillion cubic feet.
