Mozambique’s government said Exxon Mobil Corporation will sign off on an initial investment decision for a liquefied natural gas project that could cost as much as $33-billion to build – the biggest ever in Africa.
A ceremony marking the decision will take place October 8 in Maputo, the capital of the south-east African nation, the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy said in a statement Saturday.
Exxon’s project in the northern Cabo Delgado province will cost between $27-billion and $33-billion, according to a report that Johannesburg-based Standard Bank Group published in March. The 15.2-million-ton-a-year gas liquefaction and export project is even bigger than the one that Total is building nearby, and both will transform Mozambique’s $15-billion economy.
“We look forward to progressing the Rovuma LNG project and working with the government to maximize the long-term benefits that this project will bring,” a spokesperson for Exxon said in an emailed response to questions.
The investment decision could boost President Filipe Nyusi’s chances in general elections scheduled a week later. A promise to develop the country’s natural gas industry has formed a big part of Nyusi’s campaign.