Niger has resumed crude oil exports through Benin after a suspension caused by a dispute between the two countries.
An agent from the West African Gas Pipeline Company, which operates the pipeline, confirmed to a Western media outlet that the Aura M, a Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker, had departed the Benin port on Tuesday after loading around one million barrels of oil from Niger.
Ship tracking data from MarineTraffic also revealed that the vessel was bound for China.
The resumption of oil exports marks an important development, although it remains unclear how the dispute was resolved. The renewed cooperation suggests a diplomatic breakthrough between Niger and Benin, allowing oil flow through the PetroChina-backed pipeline to continue.
The pipeline's operation is important for Niger, as it provides an export route for its crude oil, facilitating economic growth and international trade. However, it's not the only way to export: in mid-July, media reported that Niger and Chad decided to restart the Niger-Chad-Cameroon pipeline project and extend the gasoil supply agreement, which will enable the transportation of crude oil from Niger to Cameroon through Chad.