President Muhammadu Buhari has called out the UK and European Union as hypocrites after emphasising the need for a long-term partnership between Nigeria and the UK as well as the European Union.
In an interview session with Bloomberg News, the President said the UK and EU countries should invest in the planned 4,000km pipeline intended to transport Nigerian gas through Morocco, then to Europe.
“We need long-term partnership not inconsistency and contradiction on green energy policy from the UK and European Union,” President Buhari stated. “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 4,000km pipeline to bring Nigerian gas — the largest reserves in Africa — via Morocco, then onto Europe.”
President Buhari expressed his optimism for the gas pipeline project which he believed would help address the gas supply crisis in Europe once completed.
The president further revealed that Nigeria had entered into an agreement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the construction of the pipeline, adding that come July, the NNPC will become a limited liability company and be subject to more robust auditing and commercial disclosure obligations.
He also urged the Western allies to sanction all terrorist groups operating in the Niger Delta and other oil-producing states in the South-East and South-South regions of the country.
