Completion of the main pipeline for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas project is expected to improve gas access and increase Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) availability across Northern Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says.
NNPC Ltd. Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Ojulari spoke in Abuja that the pipeline was about 95 per cent complete. The remaining work involves finishing some facilities and connecting the mainline to customers.
The company is aiming to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of 2026, Ojulari said. Kaduna and Kano are expected to receive gas by 2027, with further connections planned for other locations.
He said a more extensive gas network would make it easier to supply CNG to northern markets. The pipeline is also expected to support power generation, factories, data centres and industrial hubs.
NNPC Ltd. has raised $1.5 billion for the AKK project based on expected pipeline throughput, Ojulari said.
The 614-kilometre, 40-inch pipeline runs from Ajaokuta in Kogi State through Kaduna to Kano, with intermediate and terminal facilities for transporting gas to customers.
Ojulari said additional infrastructure would be needed to extend supply to places such as Maiduguri and Sokoto. With the AKK mainline in place, he added, those future connections should be easier to develop.