AKK gas pipeline will be ready by Q1 2025, says FG

The federal government says the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project will be delivered by the first quarter of 2025.

According to a statement by Olufemi Soneye, spokesperson of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the company, made this known on Friday.

He spoke during the visit of three cabinet ministers to the AKK Gas pipeline project site where they inspected the River Kaduna crossing milestone of the project in Kaduna. 

The three ministers who visited the project site include Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, and Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas). 

Speaking during the visit, Kyari said the project would be completed on time.

“Without promising too much, we assure you that this Project will be delivered on schedule,” he said.

“Our mission is to work towards delivering it by December this year. But we are confident this project will be delivered by 1st Quarter of 2025.” 

Kyari said the NNPC recognises the project’s strategic importance and significant value to Nigeria’s economy, adding that the company was bankrolling the project with its balance sheet.

Speaking at the project site, Edun described the AKK Gas pipeline as the “pipeline of prosperity”. 

He said the project is very dear to President Bola Tinubu because it would provide the critical infrastructure needed to trigger the nation’s economic growth and industrialisation. 

“The AKK Gas pipeline is crucial for this administration and its delivery is in line with Mr. President’s strategy of bringing prosperity to the people,” Edun added.

In his remarks, Idris said the project is a testimony to the fact that the federal government’s “Decade of Gas” has commenced in full.

“Nigerians should be proud of the AKK Gas pipeline project. With the delivery of this project, the prosperity that Mr. President is always talking about is unravelling right here before our eyes,” he said.

Also speaking, Ekpo said the gas pipeline is part of the federal government’s many efforts to harness the nation’s abundant gas resources towards improving power generation, reviving failing businesses, and creating jobs in the country.

In April 2023, Kyari said the pipeline project will become functional in the third quarter of 2023.