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Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline will boost West African growth, renewable energy expansion- Stakeholders
Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline will boost West African growth, renewable energy expansion- Stakeholders
By: Michael Mike
The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, a 6,800-kilometer project linking Nigeria’s gas reserves to Morocco, is expected to boost energy security, regional economic growth, and support the shift towards renewable energy across West Africa.
During a meeting in Abuja on Friday, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ministers of Energy and Hydrocarbons convened to review key agreements on this initiative, named the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), and to establish the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Facility (EREEEF).
The pipeline project, developed in partnership with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) is targeted not only to fuel industries and drive economic growth across the region but also to align with climate goals by providing a transitional, lower-pollution energy source.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization, Sédiko Douka, during the opening ceremony of the Abuja meeting highlighted the pivotal steps in ECOWAS’s energy ambitions.
Douka, who represented Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, noted that the ministerial meeting aimed to solidify key agreements on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) and the establishment of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Facility (EREEEF).
Douka said the importance of the AAGP, a project that will link Nigeria to Morocco via a 6,800 km pipeline, passing through all ECOWAS coastal countries, Mauritania, and the landlocked nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Initially proposed during a 2016 meeting between Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Nigeria’s then-President, the pipeline is now a collaborative effort between Nigeria’s NNPC and Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM).
According to him, ECOWAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NNPC and ONHYM in 2022, and the project gained further traction in July 2023, when ECOWAS leaders endorsed a decision to merge this pipeline with the West African Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP).
“The AAGP will create access to natural gas across West Africa, fueling industries, agriculture, and power generation, and driving economic growth. This project is of vital importance for our region,” Douka said.
He emphasized that, although natural gas is a fossil fuel, it produces relatively low levels of pollutants and serves as an effective transitional energy source.
“The gas pipeline project supports both regional development and global climate goals by advancing clean energy initiatives, from mobility solutions to clean cooking options”, he stated.
The meeting also focused on enhancing renewable energy in West Africa, where Douka highlighted that only about 20% of the region’s hydroelectric potential is currently tapped.
“The ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Facility (EREEEF) will aim to increase renewable energy’s role in the region’s energy mix.
“Key policy documents under discussion include a directive for solar photovoltaic technologies and model agreements for public-private partnerships, power purchasing, and project implementation for solar projects”, he noted.
Douka underscored the need for collaboration among member states to overcome energy access barriers and to develop a reliable energy infrastructure that will support both the AAGP and renewable energy projects.
He also pointed to challenges within the ECOWAS energy framework, including WAPP’s debt recovery issues and ERERA’s need for support to fully operationalize the regional electricity market.
By mid-December, ECOWAS hopes to have these agreements approved by its statutory bodies, setting the stage for action on both the gas pipeline and renewable energy projects.
On his part, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), emphasized the importance of collaboration and strategic agreements to drive the region’s hydrocarbon and energy growth.
Ekpo noted that the AAGP is more than an infrastructure venture—it’s a step toward building a deeply interconnected energy network across Africa.
He explained that the Draft Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and Host Government Agreement (HGA) will be vital for setting the framework for this collaboration, fostering stability and equitable terms among participating nations.
“The AAGP is set to stretch from Nigeria to Morocco, passing through multiple ECOWAS countries.
“The pipeline promises to open new markets, bolster regional energy security, and spur economic growth by linking Nigeria’s vast gas reserves to North Africa and Europe”, Ekpo said.
Ekpo also highlighted that this could be transformative for economies across the region, bringing increased industrialization and job creation to communities along the pipeline route.
The Minister also took the opportunity to acknowledge the role of the existing 678-kilometer West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), which currently supplies gas from Nigeria to Benin, Togo, and Ghana.
He praised WAGP’s achievements and resilience, noting its role in connecting Ghana’s domestic gas sources from its western to eastern coast.
Ekpo also pointed out that the success of the WAGP would not have been possible without the oversight of the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA), which has served as the regulator for WAGP countries for over two decades.
He stressed that WAGPA’s future role could be instrumental, given its extensive experience in regional gas regulation.
Ekpo described the initiative as a crucial opportunity to create a united vision for West Africa’s energy future.
“These agreements hold the power to reshape our energy landscape, strengthen our economies, and uplift our people,” he said,
He urged leaders to prioritize cooperation and resilience, while commending the commitment of energy experts who have worked tirelessly to develop the draft agreements, which are set to be presented to ECOWAS Heads of Government in December 2024 for final endorsement.
Ekpo also called on all ECOWAS members to support the region’s ambitions for energy security, sustainable infrastructure, and economic growth.
“Together, let us continue to advance the goals of energy security, sustainable infrastructure, and economic prosperity for all of Africa,” he stated.
Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, represented by Mahmuda Mamman, the Permanent Secretary noted that these would guide the region toward reliable and sustainable energy solutions.
“With more than 200 million people in West Africa lacking access to electricity, it is imperative that we take decisive actions,” he stated.
Mamman highlighted the vast potential of solar, wind, and hydro resources, noting that West Africa has the opportunity to not only address its own energy deficits but also to set an example for sustainable development.
“By harnessing these resources, we can drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for millions of citizens,” he added.
He stressed the importance of technologies and practices that reduce consumption while boosting productivity.
“This regulatory framework will ensure that we prioritize energy-efficient solutions that contribute to sustainable development and protect our environment for future generations,” he explained.
He also added that the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Facility represents a transformative step for the region.
He called on private sector partners and civil society groups to unite behind this vision, leveraging collective resources to turn policy into action that will benefit local communities.
“Together, we will overcome barriers and unlock the full potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency across our region,” he said.
He further urged a renewed commitment to the region’s sustainable energy future, acknowledging the challenges ahead but expressing confidence that a collective approach would bring success.
The Minister commended the ECOWAS and its international partners for their persistent efforts in shaping the regulatory frameworks under discussion.
Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline will boost West African growth, renewable energy expansion- Stakeholders
The Pabir of Biu (Viu): People Lost in Ethnic and Cultural Mist
By: Joseph SHALANGWA
I have been an ardent follower and reader of works published by NEWSng for quite some time, where some works on Bura-Pabir were published, but one interesting piece that came to the fore was “The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1&2),” published in 2024, which is somehow related to this article.
Therefore, this work is not to mock or disregard the Pabir as people who are ghastly lost in the mist of ethnic and cultural identity. The work is a historical enlightenment to the people of Nigeria who have routed the Bura and the Pabir as the same people, but historically no, and never are they the same. For political reasons, yes. Just like the Hausa-Fulani coinage.
I want readers to know from this day forward that there is no tribe or ethnic group independently called Babur. We have the Pabir, who are unable to stand as a tribe with distinct culture and traditions.
I am not a historian by any standard, but history and its source materials are of interest to me. I had listened to historical conversations and stories pertaining to my people—the Bura—ever since I was a boy. This has given me some knowledge and understanding of my people’s history, culture, traditions, and civilizations.
As certified technologists, one of our ways of diagnosing troubleshooting is to unscrew and screw in an attempt to mechanically solve the ailment. This is what I am briefly going to do in this work.
I have read so many works on the history of Biu people.
However, some of the writings did not dwell much on the original inhabitants of the Biu Plateau, the Bura, but rather hid in historical conspiracy theory portraying the Pabir as the true inhabitants of the Biu territory. It is not true but misleading and questionable because they left out the Aborigines, the Bura people, who are a tribe and an ethnic nation with history and cultural identity.
At this juncture, questions that will readily come to mind are: Who are the Pabir people? What are their clan names? There has been an identity crisis about the Pabir, who are today known as Babur, lost totally in ethnic and cultural fog.
My findings did not give me any historical validity that the Pabir are the original inhabitants of Biu (Viu) territory; rather, it said that a band of seventy (70) men from the Kanem empire came some hundreds of years ago. “The Bura people are the native inhabitants of the Biu Plateau with unique culture and traditions, clear clan names rooted in their history and civilizations…Musical instruments, dances, foods…” Long before the leader of the 70 men, Yamtra Wala, came onto the scene, he was called and addressed wrongly as YAMTA OLA in the Bura dialect.
Clan names like Bwayama, Dlakwa, Wudiri, Mibwala, Mhya, and Garnva, among many others, are of Bura people. This further drew the ancestral and cultural identity between the Bura and Pabir people. Funny enough, theirs are Mshelganga, Gurdum, Mazalapuwa, Kiribara, Mshelgwagwa, etc. While in the history of the Bura, there are no such clan names. In fact, these names are derived from the Bura local dialect, signifying some of their works and duties in the king’s palace. You may wish to agree with me that Pabir are a group of people who have nosedived and lost their cultural identity.
It baffles me when I see a Pabir man calling himself or herself Babur. Thus, it has further deepened their loss, which has created a historical inferiority complex in them.
This work should serve as a call to all the Babur (Pabir) to come to reality, to break the complexities of their origin, and to accept who they are historically, and to take responsibility as Pabir people, not Babur.
I am also calling on all Bura sons and daughters to continue to stand firm and proudly call and be addressed as Bura worldwide.
Joseph Shalangwa
Writes from Kaduna.
The Pabir of Biu (Viu): People Lost in Ethnic and Cultural Mist
VP’s Wife Consoles Maiduguri Bomb Blast Victims
Calls for united front against insurgency.
By: Our Reporter
Wife of the Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria Mrs Nana Shettima has stressed the need for all hands to be on desk to put an end to the more than a decade insurgency in the north east .
She made the appeal while speaking to journalists in Maiduguri shortly after she visited victims of gmboru market Mosque bomb blast in the Borno State capital.
In an emotional interview, Mrs Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice‑President, speaking on behalf of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu,described barbaric suicide bomb attack that struck the Gamboru market mosque after Maghrib prayer on Wednesday as unfortunate.
She prayed for the dead, called for unity, and vowed the support of the First Lady’s office for affected families.
Mrs Nana Shettima said she was in Maiduguri to offer condolences and relief to victims and families.
She visited the homes of the bereaved in Mashamari, Ummarari Millionaire’s Quarters and Gamboru Ward, where she prayed for the deceased, asked Allah to grant them eternal rest, and sought strength for families bearing these irreparable losses.
To cushion immediate hardship, Mrs Shettima presented financial support to affected families seven widows each received ₦1,000,000 (total ₦7,000,000).
She also visited the Maiduguri State Specialist Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where she was shown around by Dr. Baba Shehu, Medical Director of the State Specialist Hospital, and received by Professor B. Kagu, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council at UMTH, and Dr. Bunu Bukar.
After going round the patients beds at both hospitals Mrs Nana Shettima gave ₦500,000 to each of the 14 patients still on admission, offered words of consolation, and prayed for their speedy recovery.
The wife of the vice president reiterated her appeal for communal calm and solidarity in the face of tragedy.
The visit signals the First Lady’s office’s commitment to immediate humanitarian relief and moral support for affected families.
The visit underlines the first lady’s office commitment to spiritual consolation with practical assistance, targeting both households that lost breadwinners and those receiving medical care.
Mrs Nana Shettima confirmed she was in Maiduguri expressly on behalf of the first lady of the nation to sympathise with the victims.
Those who accompanied her includes the wife of the Borno State Governor Dr Falmata Babagana Umara Zullum,wife of the Deputy Governor Hajiya Maimuna Umar Kadafur, and the Borno State Apc women leader Hajiya Fati Alkali Kakinna among other top female government officials.
VP’s Wife Consoles Maiduguri Bomb Blast Victims
Police detain inspector, girlfriend over missing rifle in Taraba
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police in Taraba have detained an inspector and his girlfriend following the reported loss of an assault rifle along the Wukari–Jootar Federal Highway.
According to the source, the missing firearm belonged to Insp. Joshua Charles, aged 45, attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team.
The sources told Zagazola Makama that on Dec. 25, at about 3:00 p.m., the inspector reportedly left his duty post to Wukari town, leaving behind three other officers Insp. Haruna Galadima, Insp. Isah Waziri and Insp. Umar Mohammed who remained on duty.
“At about 8:30 p.m., the inspector’s girlfriend, one Ruth Alphancis of Sabon Gari area in Jalingo, who has been cohabiting with him since August 2025, returned from Jootar village in Benue and claimed to have seen an unidentified person breaking out of the house,” the source said.
He added that on the inspector’s return from Wukari town, allegedly in a drunken state, he discovered that his Type 06 assault rifle, loaded with 25 rounds of live ammunition, which he said he left inside the room, was missing.
The breach number of the rifle could not be immediately ascertained, the source said.
Following the report, the sources said operatives visited the scene, while efforts were intensified to recover the missing firearm and apprehend those responsible.
“The inspector and his girlfriend are currently in detention to aid investigation, while collaborative efforts involving local residents and hunters are ongoing to recover the rifle,” the source added.
End
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