JESA backs Senegal’s drive to build a national gas network

Senegal is moving to strengthen the foundations of its emerging gas economy, with the construction of a national transmission network designed to connect offshore gas resources with power generation facilities and industrial hubs across the country.

At the heart of this effort is JESA, which is providing project-management and engineering support to the Réseau Gazier du Sénégal (RGS), a subsidiary of PETROSEN HOLDING. The planned infrastructure will extend for nearly 400 kilometres and is expected to become a key component of Senegal’s strategy to convert its natural gas resources into a broader driver of electricity production and industrial development.

The project reached a significant milestone on September 10, 2026, when Senegal officially launched the installation of the first pipeline of the Northern Segment in Saint Louis. The ceremony was held under the leadership of Dr El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf, Senegal’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, bringing together senior representatives of RGS, JESA and its partners.

Among those attending were Pape Momar Lo, Director General of RGS; Omar Benjelloun, Director General of JESA West Africa; Abderrahim Ben Elhirche, JESA’s Senior Executive Director for Energy; and Mohammed Benzaria, Director General of OMCo, representing Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) and President of OMCo.

A backbone for Senegal’s gas ambitions

The national gas network is being developed as a strategic link between Senegal’s offshore resources and domestic energy consumers. Its role extends beyond transporting fuel: the infrastructure is intended to support a transition toward greater domestic use of gas in electricity generation while creating new opportunities for industrial applications.

RGS is owned by PETROSEN HOLDING, which holds 51 percent of the company, alongside FONSIS with 39 percent and Senelec with 10 percent.

The network is expected to facilitate the delivery of natural gas from the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) field, jointly developed by Senegal and Mauritania. By connecting gas supplies to electricity facilities and industrial areas, the project is intended to help Senegal extract greater economic value from its natural resources.

The initiative therefore sits at the intersection of the country's “Gas to Power” and “Gas to Industry” strategies, linking energy production with wider objectives related to industrialisation, economic competitiveness and energy security.

JESA leads a broad technical support mission

JESA's role goes beyond conventional engineering assistance. As lead company and representative of the consortium supporting RGS, it is involved in the preparation, coordination and oversight of several critical stages of the programme.

The consortium includes OMCo, an ONHYM subsidiary with experience in gas infrastructure and the management of the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (GME), as well as Antea Group France.

The assistance provided to RGS covers areas including contracting processes, technical supervision, schedule monitoring, risk management and interface coordination. The consortium is also supporting preparations for commissioning and future operations.

This approach is intended to ensure that operational considerations are incorporated into the project from the development phase, rather than addressed only once construction has been completed.

For JESA, the objective is to help establish the conditions for a network capable of operating safely and reliably while maintaining its performance and integrity throughout its lifecycle.

Moroccan expertise expands its regional footprint

The Senegalese project also highlights the growing involvement of Moroccan engineering and energy companies in major infrastructure programmes across West Africa.

Through JESA and OMCo, Moroccan expertise is being deployed alongside Senegalese institutions and international partners on an infrastructure project with national and regional significance. The cooperation reflects a broader trend toward the mobilisation of African technical capabilities for major energy developments on the continent.

For Morocco, the initiative provides another avenue for strengthening its economic and institutional ties with Senegal while showcasing expertise accumulated through the development and management of complex energy infrastructure.

For Senegal, the partnership provides access to specialised capabilities at a time when the country is seeking to transform its emerging gas resources into tangible benefits for electricity supply, industry and economic development.

Beyond the pipeline: preparing an integrated energy system

The significance of the RGS programme extends beyond the physical construction of almost 400 kilometres of pipelines. Its success will also depend on the ability to coordinate infrastructure, operations, safety standards and long-term asset management.

That is why the preparation of future operating conditions forms an important component of the assistance mission. JESA and its consortium partners are working with RGS to anticipate the technical and organisational requirements that will emerge as the network moves toward commissioning and operation.

The approach reflects a wider shift in African energy projects, where the challenge is increasingly not only to build infrastructure but also to establish systems capable of delivering reliable services over the long term.

A platform for deeper African energy cooperation

The RGS mission strengthens JESA's presence in West Africa and fits into the company's broader involvement in energy and industrial projects across the region.

The company is already engaged in projects in Senegal and Benin and is also involved in initiatives connected to hydrogen development in Mauritania. The Senegalese gas network therefore adds another major component to its regional energy portfolio.

More broadly, the project illustrates how cross-border African cooperation can combine engineering expertise, project-management capabilities and local institutional knowledge to address strategic infrastructure needs.

As Senegal develops its gas resources, the national transmission network could become an important piece of the country's energy architecture. The involvement of Moroccan and international engineering partners meanwhile underscores the increasingly regional dimension of West Africa's energy transformation.