EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told Reuters on September 9 that a 4,300 km Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline from Nigeria through Niger and Algeria en route to the Mediterranean could help the EU diversify its energy sources. The EU, which relies on Russia for about 40 percent of its gas and a third of its oil, has been seeking to reduce that heavy dependency since disputes between Russia and transit states like Ukraine highlighted the frailty of its energy supply. Friction over Russia's invasion of Georgia in the previous month pushed energy security further towards the top of the bloc's agenda.

Nigeria already supplies about 20 percent of the EU’s oil and 80 percent of the country’s gas is also shipped to Europe as liquefied LNG. The pipeline is seen improving security and also the prospects of transit regions in Africa, thereby reducing the flood of migrants to Europe.

Nigeria has the world's seventh-largest proven gas reserves, but has been unable to develop its gas industry to its full potential because of lack of funds and regulation1.

• 1. “EU sees security in Sahara gas pipeline-piebalgs,” Reuters, September 9, 2008, at http://asianenergy.blogspot.com/2008/09/eu-sees-security-in-sahara-gas-p...