By Ayomide Otitoju
The $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline is set to begin export operations in early 2026, the Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Ojulari, has announced.
The update followed a site tour of the project by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, accompanied by Ojulari and NNPC’s Executive Vice President for Gas, Power, and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye.
First conceived in 2008, the AKK pipeline is a key component of Nigeria’s strategy to leverage its vast gas reserves for economic growth. Its completion is expected to transform northern Nigeria, a region long hampered by power shortages and limited energy infrastructure.
Ojulari, who briefed President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, said welding of the pipeline’s main line—including the critical River Niger crossing that had delayed progress for years—has been completed. He confirmed that the milestone clears the way for the pipeline to be connected and activated early next year.
“This is not just about energy,” Ojulari 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.”
He also outlined NNPC’s production targets, noting that oil output is projected to rise to 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026, up from about 1.7 million this year, while gas production will continue to increase. Ojulari attributed these gains to structural reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, which have allowed NNPC to operate as a profit-driven company independent of federal allocations.
President Tinubu reportedly reaffirmed his administration’s goal of attracting $30 billion in new investments by 2030 and achieving oil production of 2 million barrels per day by 2027.
Ojulari emphasized that upon completion, the AKK pipeline will deliver substantial economic opportunities, enhance power supply, and drive industrialisation in northern Nigeria, marking a significant step toward national energy and economic security.
