Buhari berates UK, EU over inconsistency, contradiction on green energy policy

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) countries of inconsistency and contradiction on green energy policy and asked them to invest in the planned 4000 km pipeline meant to transport Nigerian gas to Europe via Morocco.

The call was made by President Buhari during a question and answer session with Bloomberg where he reiterated on the need for a long-term partnership between Nigeria and the UK as well as the EU on green energy policy.

Buhari expressed the hope that the gas pipeline project, when completed would help to address the gas supply crisis in Europe.

What President Buhari is saying

When asked a question about how fast Nigeria hopes to take advantage of the Russia-Ukraine war and gas supply crisis in Europe and fill in some of the demand, Buhari said, ”We need long term partnership not inconsistency and contradiction on green energy policy from the UK and European Union.

”Investment is hampered by their broad-brush moratorium on overseas gas projects, while at home the same projects are classified as green.

”It does not help their energy security, it does not help Nigeria’s economy, and it does not help the environment. It is a hypocrisy that must end.

”To change, the UK and EU countries should invest in our planned 4000 km pipeline to bring Nigerian gas – the largest reserves in Africa – via Morocco, then onto Europe.”

The president had earlier explained that the gas pipeline project, connecting Nigeria to Europe which was conceived four years ago, had since been unveiled.

What you should know

• Recall that about 4 years ago, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari agreed on the mega-project to carry gas along the Atlantic Coast in a deal that was first signed in 2016.
• Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources said that the pipeline would be an extension of a structure that had been pumping gas from southern Nigeria to Benin, Togo and Ghana since 2010.
• Nigeria and Morocco are still seeking funding for a huge pipeline project that will carry Nigeria’s gas to North Africa and onto European markets.
• Africa’s gas supplies are increasingly in the spotlight as the European Union looks to wean itself off Russia’s production after the invasion of Ukraine in February.
• Sylva had revealed that there has been a lot of international interest, and investors’ interest, in the project, although they have not really identified investors that they want to go with.
• Nigeria, an OPEC member country, has huge gas resources – the largest proven reserves in Africa and the seventh-largest globally.