NNPC plans to activate the $2.8bn AKK Gas Pipeline in early 2026, boosting energy supply, industrialisation, and economic growth in northern Nigeria

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Ojulari, has announced that the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline is expected to be activated for export in early 2026.

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Ojulari made the disclosure following an inspection tour of the pipeline project by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, alongside senior NNPC executives, including the Executive Vice President for Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye.

The GCEO briefed President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, highlighting the completion of the welding of the pipeline’s main line, including the River Niger crossing—a technical milestone that had delayed the project for several years.

“We have been able to complete the welding of the main line of the AKK pipeline. In summer, we successfully crossed the River Niger, which was a struggle for many years. With this completion, we can start making all the connections early next year,” Ojulari said.

Once activated, the AKK pipeline is expected to deliver gas across northern Nigeria, supporting industrialisation, power generation, and the development of gas-based industries in Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Ajaokuta.

Ojulari emphasised that the project is “not just about energy; it’s about industrialisation” and predicted the emergence of industrial parks along the pipeline corridor.

The AKK pipeline, first conceived in 2008, forms a central part of Nigeria’s strategy to harness its gas resources to drive economic growth, particularly in northern states that have historically faced power shortages and weak infrastructure.

Ojulari also outlined NNPC’s production targets, noting that oil output is projected to rise to 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026 from 1.7 million barrels per day in 2025, while gas production is expected to continue growing.

He attributed the improvements to reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, which repositioned NNPC as a commercially driven entity operating without reliance on federal allocations.

President Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s goal of attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and raising oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027.

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The completion of the AKK pipeline network is expected to expand economic opportunities, enhance power supply, and strengthen national industrialisation, contributing to improved energy and economic security.