The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Ojulari, has said the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline is expected to be activated for export in early 2026.
Ojulari disclosed this following a recent inspection tour of the project by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, alongside NNPCL executives, including the company’s Executive Vice President for Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye.
Speaking after briefing President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, the GCEO said NNPC had completed welding of the pipeline’s main line, including the River Niger crossing, a long-standing technical challenge that had delayed progress on the project.
He said the achievement had paved the way for connecting the pipeline early next year.
“We have been able to complete the welding of the main line of the AKK pipeline. In summer, we were able to cross the River Niger, which was a struggle for many years. With its completion, we can start making all the connections early next year,” the NNPCL boss said.
According to Ojulari, once activated, the pipeline will deliver gas across northern Nigeria, supporting industrial and economic activities.
“This is not just about energy,” he said. “It’s about industrialisation—fertiliser plants, power generation, and gas-based industries in Kaduna, Kano, Abuja and Ajaokuta. We expect to see industrial parks spring up.”
Ojulari also outlined NNPC’s production targets, noting that oil output is projected to rise to 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026 from about 1.7 million barrels per day this year, while gas production is expected to continue increasing.
He attributed NNPC’s improved operational outlook to reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act, which, he said, had repositioned the company as a commercially driven entity operating without reliance on federal allocations.
Ojulari added that President Tinubu had reaffirmed his administration’s goal of attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and raising oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027.
He said the completion of the AKK pipeline network would expand economic opportunities, enhance power supply and support national industrialisation efforts, contributing to improved energy and economic security.
The AKK pipeline, first conceived in 2008, is a key component of Nigeria’s strategy to harness its gas resources to drive economic growth.
The project is expected to significantly improve energy access in northern Nigeria, where persistent power shortages and weak infrastructure have constrained industrial development for decades.
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