Nigerian Senate Committee Slams Delay in $2.8 Billion Gas Pipeline Project
The Nigerian Senate Committee on Local Contents has expressed frustration over the slow pace of the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline Project. The committee, chaired by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called on Brentex CPP Ltd., the local firm handling the project, to speed up the execution of the $1.27 billion component of the project.
During an interactive session with the committee, the chairman of Brentex CPP Ltd., Sani Abubakar, attributed the delay to attempts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) to de-scope the $1.27 billion station component of the contract. However, the committee chairman disputed this claim, stating that NNPCL is considering taking back the stations component due to the company’s poor pace of work.
According to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the project was initially supposed to be completed in 2022, but it was not finished on time. The committee has given Brentex CPP Ltd. an extension until May 2025 to complete the project. Despite this, the company has failed to make significant progress, leading NNPCL to consider taking back the stations component.
The committee has demanded that Brentex CPP Ltd. submit all correspondence between the company and NNPCL to clarify the situation. The chairman of the committee emphasized that the 10th Senate will not accept excuses and expects the company to take immediate action to accelerate the project.
The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline Project is a vital infrastructure development aimed at boosting Nigeria’s energy sector. The project’s delay has significant implications for the country’s economy and energy security.
