Arkab reaffirms Algeria’s commitment to supporting Niger in energy and hydrocarbons sector
ALGIERS – Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energies, Mohamed Arkab, met on Monday with the Minister of Petroleum of the Republic of Niger, Sahabi Omarou, who is leading a high-level delegation, including the Minister of Water Resources, Sanitation, and Environment, Colonel Mizama Abdullah, along with officials and executives from the Ministry of Petroleum and the National Petroleum Company “SONIDEP,” the Algerian Ministry of Energy said in a statement.
The meeting took place in the presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Algeria, the CEO of Sonatrach, Rachid Hachichi, and several ministry officials. This meeting is part of the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum’s working visit to Algeria from February 9 to 15, 2025.
The discussions between the two sides, which later expanded to include delegation members, focused on strengthening the longstanding cooperation between Algeria and Niger, particularly in the energy and hydrocarbons sectors. They also reviewed the progress of joint development projects, including initiatives in exploration, exploitation, refining, petrochemicals, and the marketing and distribution of petroleum products. This is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Sonatrach and SONIDEP on October 1, 2024, the statement said.
The meeting also highlighted the outcomes of Sonatrach’s visits to Niamey, which led to the signing of a meeting record on January 14, 2025, between Sonatrach and SONIDEP. This record established two subcommittees: one focused on supporting Niger in launching a refinery and petrochemical complex in the city of Dosso, and the other dedicated to managing projects, awarding contracts, and developing the necessary legal frameworks to support Niger’s oil and petrochemical sectors.
In his remarks, Minister Arkab reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to continuing its support for Niger, particularly in the energy and hydrocarbons sectors. He emphasized the importance of sharing Algerian expertise and providing specialized training programs to strengthen Nigerien competencies.
Minister Omarou expressed his gratitude for the close cooperation between the two nations, praising the technical support from Sonatrach, which he said would help achieve their shared goals. He also underscored the importance of the training provided by the Algerian Petroleum Institute to prepare Nigerien technical teams.
According to the statement, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the strategic Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) project. Both sides emphasized the need for continued coordination meetings to study the project’s various aspects and monitor the implementation of decisions made in previous tripartite meetings between the petroleum ministers of Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria.
On this occasion, the CEO of Sonatrach presented the results of laboratory analysis for samples of Nigerien crude oil tested at Sonatrach’s facilities in Algeria, reflecting the depth of technical cooperation between the two countries, the source added.
The Nigerien delegation’s visit will include several meetings with Sonatrach officials, as well as site visits to key energy installations in Algeria’s hydrocarbons sector.
