Nigeria’s Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline is set to be activated for export in early 2026, according to Bashir Ojulari, Group CEO of NNPC Ltd. The $2.8 billion project has been in development since 2008 and is crucial to the country’s plans to leverage its vast gas reserves for economic growth. The pipeline’s completion is expected to transform the northern region, which has struggled with chronic power shortages and a lack of energy infrastructure for decades.
During a recent tour of the project, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, accompanied by Ojulari and Executive Vice President (Gas, Power, and New Energy) Olalekan Ogunleye, assessed the project’s progress. Ojulari subsequently briefed President Bola Tinubu on the project’s status, noting that the main line of the pipeline, including the critical River Niger crossing, has been completed. This milestone has paved the way for the pipeline’s connection early next year.
Once operational, the AKK pipeline will supply gas to the northern part of Nigeria, driving industrialization and supporting the development of fertilizer plants, power generation, and gas-based industries in cities such as Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Ajaokuta. Ojulari emphasized that the project’s impact extends beyond energy, as it is expected to stimulate industrial growth and create new economic opportunities.
NNPC has set production targets, aiming to increase oil output to 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026, up from 1.7 million this year, while gas production is expected to continue growing. The company’s ability to operate as a profit-driven entity, following structural reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, has enabled it to pursue these ambitious targets.
President Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and increasing oil output to 2 million barrels per day by 2027. The completion of the AKK pipeline is expected to play a significant role in achieving these goals, delivering economic opportunities, boosting power supply, and driving national industrialization. Upon completion, the pipeline network will usher in a new era of energy and economic security for Nigeria.