Nigeria is advancing plans for a $25 billion undersea gas pipeline to deliver natural gas from its shores to Europe, in a bid to strengthen its role as a global energy supplier and tap into the continent’s growing demand for cleaner energy.
The proposed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, which will run along the West African coastline to Europe, was a major focus of discussions between Vice President Kashim Shettima and executives of global energy and commodities giant Vitol Group during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
Shettima underscored Nigeria’s commitment to transformative infrastructure and economic reforms under President Bola Tinubu, describing the pipeline as a strategic and forward-looking project for both Nigeria and Europe.
“In over two decades, we have not had a leader as bold as President Tinubu from removing the fuel subsidy to unifying exchange rates and initiating sweeping tax reforms,” Shettima said. “These changes are positioning Nigeria as a serious player in the global energy space.”
While acknowledging the scale and cost of the project estimated at $25 billion, Shettima emphasized that Nigeria is seeking more than just funding.
“We need your technical expertise more than your capital,” he told the Vitol delegation. “Gas supply reliability is key, and we are committed to transparency and stability in the sector. This pipeline is not just an investment; it’s a long-term energy security solution for the region and Europe.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s gas wealth, Shettima noted the country holds the eighth-largest gas reserves in the world, calling gas not oil the real backbone of Nigeria’s future energy economy.
He praised the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) as a model of efficiency, having remained largely insulated from political interference, and urged Vitol to build on its existing relationship with Nigeria to support the government’s energy transition.
“We are inviting you to join us. Use your global networks to help mobilize support for this project. We guarantee a transparent and professionally managed structure,” the Vice President added.
Vitol Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment
In response, Chief Financial Officer of Vitol Group Jeffrey Dellapina, reaffirmed the company’s longstanding ties with Nigeria and its readiness to invest further.
“Nigeria has always been an important partner for Vitol,” Dellapina said. “From downstream operations to trading and financing, we’ve been involved at every level, and we remain committed to evolving with your country.”
Murtala Baloni, Vitol’s Head of Public Affairs, also highlighted the firm’s ongoing collaborations with Nigerian institutions, including its role in Project Gazelle, a crude-backed forward-sale financing deal led by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), during which Vitol invested $300 million at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve worked closely with both the public and private sectors in Nigeria and look forward to furthering our engagement, especially in the gas space,” Baloni said.
