AKK gas pipeline: Ojulari, NNPC get commendation as project reportedly reaches 95% completion
- The Energy Reforms Monitoring Initiative Africa praised NNPC boss Bashir Ojulari for his role in pushing the AKK Gas Pipeline to near completion
- The group said the 614-kilometre pipeline could reshape gas access for businesses, power plants and households across Northern Nigeria
- NNPC has raised $1.5 billion tied to the project's projected throughput, with gas supply to Abuja expected before the end of 2026
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The Energy Reforms Monitoring Initiative Africa has praised Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, for steering the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline to 95 per cent completion, saying the project could significantly improve energy access across Northern Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 14, Dr Patrick Kwame, the group's executive director, said Ojulari's drive to complete the 614-kilometre, 40-inch gas transmission system was the kind of leadership Nigeria needed to convert its natural gas reserves into real economic benefits for citizens.
Source: Twitter
The pipeline runs from Ajaokuta in Kogi state through Abuja and Kaduna, terminating in Kano, linking some of the country's most important economic and industrial hubs along its route.
Gas Delivery Timeline and Financing
Kwame said a commitment to begin supplying gas to Abuja before the end of 2026, with Kaduna and Kano following in 2027, showed that the focus had shifted from announcements to actual delivery.
"Major infrastructure projects are ultimately judged by their impact on people's lives, not simply by the amount of money invested or the length of pipelines constructed. The AKK project has the potential to change how businesses operate, how electricity is generated and how households access energy. We commend Mr Bayo Ojulari for maintaining the focus required to bring this important national investment closer to completion," Kwame said.
The group also drew attention to Ojulari's disclosure that NNPC raised $1.5 billion based on projected pipeline throughput, describing the financing arrangement as proof that commercially sound infrastructure could attract private capital when investors trust the revenue outlook.
AKK Gas Pipeline: Wider Economic Impact
Beyond direct energy supply, the initiative said improved gas availability could allow power plants to run more efficiently, support manufacturing output, draw investment into industrial facilities and open up employment. It added that growth in compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure along the corridor could give transport operators a cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel.
"For ordinary Nigerians, the value of the AKK pipeline will be measured in more reliable electricity, lower operating pressures on businesses, new employment opportunities and a wider range of energy choices. When manufacturers spend less on energy and can operate more predictably, the benefits can extend to workers, suppliers and consumers. This is why the timely completion of the project matters to the country's economic future," Kwame said.
The group urged NNPC to follow through on completing distribution connections needed to move gas from the main pipeline to end-users, stressing that a finished transmission line alone would not be enough.
"The remaining work must receive the same level of attention and urgency that has brought the project to its present stage," the statement added, calling on government institutions, investors and industry players to support both the final phase of construction and the expansion of connections to underserved communities.
NNPC Announces Plan to Resume Oil Search in the North
Legit.ng earlier reported that NNPC Ltd said it would resume crude oil drilling in the Kolmani field, located on the boundary of Bauchi and Gombe states.
Ojulari said that work would also resume on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, adding that both projects were vital to the country’s economic development.
Source: Legit.ng
