TOGO AND NIGER SIGNED GAS OIL SUPPLY DEAL

Niger could soon supply diesel to Togo. Talks in this framework were recently held, according to a press release from the Nigerien Ministry in charge of Energy. The release referenced a meeting that took place on February 17, 2023, between the Ministers of Energy of Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. 

Quoting the release, the Agence Nigerienne de Presse (ANP) reported that the meeting aimed to “bolster the cooperation between the various countries in the field of energy”.

For now, the talks have yielded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked by Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Mali, for gasoil supply. In this regard, Niger’s Minister of Energy noted: “We are looking into the obstacles encountered and finding a definitive solution to each”, in the hope of “ramping up traded volumes and ensuring sustainability for the good of all sides.”

Niger: A significant potential

Niger has the potential to become a major player in West Africa, particularly in the field of energy. Since 2011, it has been refining about 20,000 barrels a day, mainly in the form of diesel and gasoline, in Zinder. Last November, the country commissioned a giant pipeline that moves its crude oil from Agadem (in the southeast region) to the Republic of Benin. 

During the recent meeting, the ministers also “adopted the roadmap” to “set up” the “Desert to Power” project. This is a solar power project backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The project aims to provide energy to 250 million people in the Sahel region.

What about the SAS-ECOWAS relationship?

It is worth noting that Niger is currently under sanctions imposed by the ECOWAS, which it announced it was leaving a few weeks ago, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso. The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States or AoSS (upon announcing their exit). 

The recent talks, however, reflect the weight of geo-economic fundamentals on political decisions. They may also indicate that the various parties wish to build a new trade relationship and collaborate within the framework of the AoSS-ECOWAS. 

A few days before Saturday’s meeting, a ministerial delegation from Niger was in Lomé to discuss ways of facilitating their exports and imports, from and to the Port of Lomé.

SOURCE: TogoFirst