AKK pipeline reaches Abuja as NNPC eyes inauguration

The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline has reached Abuja, with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited targeting phased commissioning of the major gas project later this year. NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed this recently at the 2026 Energy Business Development Forum on the AKK Gas Pipeline Project held at the Government House, Minna, Niger State. According to a post on its social media handles, NNPC quoted Ogunleye as saying that the pipeline had reached Abuja and would be commissioned in phases later in the year, while the Niger State section was expected to be completed before the end of 2026. “The pipeline has reached Abuja and will be commissioned in phases later in the year, with the Niger State section due for completion before year-end,” Ogunleye said. The development marks a major milestone in the construction of the project, which is expected to support domestic gas utilisation and boost investment in gas-based industries along its corridor. The AKK Gas Pipeline is a 40-inch, 614km linear pipeline system running from Ajaokuta in Kogi State to Kano, with associated intermediate and terminal gas facilities and other related equipment to transport natural gas to off-takers. Last year, NNPC announced that the pipeline had successfully crossed the River Niger, raising hopes of completing the project by the fourth quarter of 2025. The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Bayo Ojulari, who announced the milestone in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 24th Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, said the feat was achieved through effective and innovative contract re-engineering and industry collaboration. The forum in Minna was organised to showcase the prospects and investment opportunities presented by the AKK project to investors and energy operators. The event was themed, “Accelerating Domestic Gas Utilisation and Driving the Compressed Natural Gas Revolution along the AKK Corridor.” Also speaking at the forum, Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, disclosed that the state government had designated an Industrial Development Park within the 1,000-square-kilometre AKK corridor in the state. He said the park would create opportunities for investments in agro-allied industries, petrochemicals, and fertiliser production. “The State Government has designated an Industrial Development Park within the 1,000-square-kilometre AKK corridor in the state, opening the route to agro-allied, petrochemical and fertiliser investment opportunities.”