The Nigerian federal government has committed a sum of US$400mn to the Trans-Africa Gas Pipeline project
The Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) acting director general, Ghaji Bello, revealed this last weekend in Abuja at a workshop on Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative organised by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Bello said the project, expected to be completed in 2018, will run from Nigeria to Algeria.
The government official added, “The Nigerian government has made a commitment of US$400mn in the 2013 budget to finance the project up to the next stage.
“Such projects will transform the economy and once this is done, the issue of infrastructure will be solved to a great extent.”
The project, according to Bello, will be expected to boost the economic activities of the area and increase intra-Africa regional trade.
NEPAD special adviser to the president, Tunji Olagunju, said there were several challenges affecting the pace of infrastructure implementation in Africa.
Olagunju added, “There is the issue of effective coordination, whether within a country or among states, as a result of which stakeholders are effectively prevented from knowing the true status of projects implementation.
“Moreover, the inability to perform monitoring role, need for greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of projects also pose challenges in project implementation.”
