Early 2026 Activation for $2.8 Billion AKK Gas Pipeline - NNPCL GCEO
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed that the long-awaited $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline will become operational in early 2026, marking a pivotal advancement in Nigeria's energy infrastructure and a potential catalyst for industrial growth in the northern region.
Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Ojulari disclosed the timeline after briefing President Bola Tinubu on the company's 2025 performance and 2026 priorities. The announcement follows the successful completion of the pipeline's main line welding, including the technically challenging River Niger crossing achieved in summer 2025 after years of delays.
"By completing this main line, what that means is that we can begin to make all the connections to the main line, which we will do in the earlier parts of next year," Ojulari stated. He emphasised the project's broader impact, adding, "This is not just about energy. It’s about industrialisation—fertiliser plants, power generation, and gas-based industries in Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Ajaokuta."
The 614-kilometre pipeline, first conceptualised in 2008 and with construction flagged off in 2020, will transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas daily from southern sources to key northern hubs. Once activated, it is expected to address chronic power shortages, support proposed independent power plants, and stimulate manufacturing through industrial parks and gas-based facilities.
This milestone aligns with Nigeria's "Decade of Gas" initiative to harness the country's vast reserves, reduce gas flaring, and enhance energy security while diversifying away from oil dependency. Ojulari credited structural reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act for enabling NNPCL to function as a more commercially orientated entity.
Ojulari also outlined ambitious goals for 2026, including raising oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day from the current approximately 1.7 million, while continuing gas expansion. He linked these targets to President Tinubu's vision of attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and achieving 2 million barrels per day by 2027.
