Nigeria’s NNPC Nears Completion of AKK Gas Pipeline to Boost Industry and Power in the North
Nigeria’s state-owned energy company is counting on the long-delayed Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline to stimulate industrial development across northern Nigeria, according to its chief executive following a briefing with President Bola Tinubu.
Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, said the company has completed welding of the pipeline’s main line, including the critical River Niger crossing that stalled the project for several years.
He described the milestone as a major breakthrough that will allow the $2.8 billion pipeline to be connected in early 2026 and deliver gas at scale to northern regions of the country.
Ojulari said the AKK pipeline is intended to do more than supply energy. It is expected to support fertilizer production, gas-fired power plants, and other gas-based industries in key locations such as Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Ajaokuta.
He added that the availability of reliable gas supplies could spur the development of industrial parks in these areas.
First conceived in 2008, the AKK pipeline is central to Nigeria’s strategy to harness its vast natural gas reserves for economic growth and industrialization. Its completion could be transformative for the northern states, where chronic power shortages and limited energy infrastructure have constrained manufacturing activity for decades.
Ojulari also outlined NNPC’s production targets, saying the company aims to increase oil output to 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026, up from about 1.7 million barrels per day currently, while continuing to expand natural gas production.
He said reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act have enabled NNPC to operate on a commercial basis and remain profitable without reliance on federal budget allocations.
According to Ojulari, President Tinubu reaffirmed the government’s goal of attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and reaching oil production of 2 million barrels per day by 2027, underscoring the administration’s focus on energy-led economic growth.
