The African states of Algeria, Niger and Nigeria want to build a long-planned natural gas pipeline across the Sahara. The three countries have signed a letter of intent, the state news agency in Algeria announced on Thursday evening. The 4,000-kilometer pipeline should be completed in a short time, said Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Mohammed Arkab. He did not give an exact timetable.
According to information from Algeria, the world’s tenth largest natural gas producer, the pipeline will be connected to Europe and will be able to supply 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The three countries therefore regard the project as an investment project, as Europe started looking for other suppliers in Ukraine after the Russian war of aggression.
90 percent funded by Algeria and Nigeria
According to official figures, the cost of the pipeline is estimated at around $13 billion (12.8 billion euros), 90 percent of which is financed by Algeria and Nigeria.
State representatives had gathered to plan the project more than a decade ago. Oil companies such as Total and Shell have shown interest in the pipeline in the past, but years ago the Russian state-owned company Gazprom also signed a cooperation agreement with Nigeria.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
