Page 26 - Nigeria one mag 4 edition en

Africa, constantly solicited by Europe for its gas

reserves

The sudden appetite of Europeans for African
gas is, at first sight, a chance to develop new
fields. For several months, European leaders
have been multiplying their efforts to boost
their imports. In Senegal, where the Tortue
field is due to produce 2.5 million tonnes of
gas next year, Germany has come to offer
broad financial support to increase the
volume to 10 million tonnes, a surplus which
will of course be destined primarily for
Germany. Italy made an intense campaign in
Algeria, followed by the French leaders.
Nigeria and Morocco recently inaugurated
with great enthusiasm a 5,000-kilometer gas
pipeline project to serve Europe. In total, the
continent's multiple gas projects, although not
all financed, amount to $400 billion.
Even though this revenue is very welcome,
one might question if it is really the right
time to produce more gas for export when
domestic needs are still not being met.
Six hundred million Africans still do not have
electricity. It is not clear that the new
investments are benefiting them. More than
Natural gas,illustrative image,
half are in extraction, not local distribution.
They are clearly intended for foreigners. Some African NGOs are lobbying for gas investments to
Another objection of NGOs hostile to these be reallocated to renewable energy. But of course, the
projects is that the economic benefits are Europeans and the funds that are in a hurry to invest in
unlikely, as the experience of the major projects for Europe have no intention of financing solar
African oil countries shows. In Nigeria, the or wind power. The European Investment Bank is going
continent's largest oil producer for many against the wishes of the European states. This decision is
years, four out of ten people still live below being contested by some African decision-makers in
the poverty line. In Mozambique, a country search of financing.
ranked among the poorest in the world, Total We might ask ourselves why does the Europe Investment
plans to invest $20 billion to exploit offshore Bank refuse to finance in Africa what is allowed in
gas: an amount greater than the country's Europe? Africa is not responsible for the emission of
GDP. The project is currently on hold because, global warming gases. The carbon-emitting electricity
instead of promoting development, it has consumption of a European is 25 times that of an African,
mainly fueled the resurgence of Islamist all energy sources combined. In a report on how to
terrorism. Eventually, the gas will be exported address Africa's energy deficit, it is pointed out that
to South Africa and Europe and its renewable energy already provides 40% of the electricity.
exploitation will above all increase the Despite this, gas remains essential for the
financial stress of this already heavily industrialization of the continent, because the cement or
indebted country. In addition, climate change steel plants needed to build infrastructure are very energy
could soon ruin investments in hydrocarbons. intensive.

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