The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Bayo Ojulari, has given fresh assurance that the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Natural Gas Pipeline project will be delivered on time. Ojulari said this during the 2025 AKK Business Development Forum organised by NNPC Ltd’s Gas Power & New Energy Directorate. The event was monitored by our correspondent on Thursday.
Ojulari said the AKK gas pipeline project, when completed, will bring economic benefits, boost industrial activities, and support energy access across the country. To achieve timely delivery, the NNPC boss said the company has invited new contractors to fast-track the work.
The forum, themed “AKK Pipeline Progress Update and Opportunities Engagement,” brought together investors and stakeholders in Nigeria’s energy sector. Ojulari said NNPC is committed to proving wrong those who had dismissed the AKK project as a white elephant. He explained that the project is not just about gas infrastructure but about bringing prosperity to Nigerians.
Ojulari explained that the second segment of the pipeline, which is 320 kilometres long, has seen the completion of all welding activities. According to him, “This is not just about finishing a huge engineering project. It’s about making sure this pipeline delivers benefits for our economy, our people, and our future.”
He described the pipeline as key to Nigeria’s energy security and economic growth, adding that the AKK project is designed to unlock the country’s gas potential, support industries, create jobs, and drive innovation. He said the pipeline is expected to deliver up to 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily to power plants and industries in Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano.
Ojulari, who hails from the northern region, said the project will revive industries in the North and reduce regional energy inequality. He also noted that over 1,900 skilled and semi-skilled Nigerians are already employed on the project. Thousands more are expected to benefit when the pipeline becomes operational, thanks to the economic activities it will generate across various sectors.
He further stated that the AKK pipeline supports the federal government’s “Decade of Gas” policy, which aims to reduce reliance on crude oil and boost gas-based development. According to him, the project will encourage the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport, reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, and support agro-processing businesses across the country.
Ojulari said the pipeline has the potential to connect Nigeria to North Africa through future extensions, thereby opening new transcontinental trade routes. He added that the pipeline is also an opportunity to improve regional integration and boost Nigeria’s export potential. According to him, “This is a rare opportunity to connect Africa through clean energy, and Nigeria must play its part.”
He also highlighted the environmental benefits of natural gas, describing it as the cleanest burning fossil fuel. He said the pipeline will reduce dependence on diesel and lower carbon emissions.
Also speaking at the event, Project Manager for the AKK Gas Project, Japhet Chairman, confirmed that the second segment of the pipeline is 320 kilometres long, with all welding, road, and river crossings now completed. He said NNPC management has approved the use of more contractors to accelerate the remaining work.
Chairman said the AKK project is a 40-inch diameter high-pressure transmission pipeline that operates at 1,000 pounds per square inch. He assured that the final stages of the work are in motion and being done carefully.
In his own remarks, the Executive Director of Projects at the Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company Ltd, Audu Ibrahim, said that the first segment of the pipeline is 79.76 per cent completed. He added that pre-commissioning work is already ongoing.
According to Ibrahim, the overall work done on the entire pipeline as of July 19, 2025, stands at 83.05 per cent. He expressed confidence that by November 2025, the AKK pipeline will be mechanically completed from end to end.
The AKK gas pipeline, which runs from Ajaokuta in Kogi State through Kaduna to Kano, is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most impactful energy infrastructure projects. Once completed, it will serve as a major route for transporting natural gas from the South to the North, powering economic activities, creating jobs, and supporting industrial development.
