NNPC AKK Pipeline 72% Complete, Set to Drive Energy Growth and Sustainability
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced that the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project has reached 72% completion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure ambitions.
Speaking at the 2025 Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (OLEF) in Abuja, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mr. Bayo Ojulari, said the project remains a critical component of the country’s drive toward energy security and industrial growth.
“The completion of critical backbone infrastructure such as the AKK pipeline, which is over 72 per cent complete as we speak (as of) first quarter 2025,” Ojulari said.
“NNPC as an energy company plays a key role in the power sector, contributing about 1.5 gigawatts of installed power capacity to the country,” he added.
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The 614 kilometre pipeline, stretching from Ajaokuta in Kogi State to Kano, is designed to transport natural gas from the south to the north. It is part of the broader Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline (TNGP) strategy and is expected to improve power generation, reduce gas flaring, and support industrialisation in northern Nigeria.
Ojulari, represented by the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr. Udobong Ntia, emphasised that NNPC is embracing digital transformation.
“Our digital transformation roadmap is anchored on three core pillars: intelligent automation, data governance, and cyber resilience, energy sustainability is not possible without digital sustainability” he said.
Quoting the International Energy Agency (IEA), he added that, “Global energy demand is projected to grow by over 25 per cent through 2040. Oil and gas continue to represent over 85 per cent of export earnings in Nigeria.”
Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, also highlighted recent achievements in exploration.
“More than 10 of the Petroleum Prospecting Licenses (PPLs) awarded are now in production,” he stated.
Former Petroleum Minister, Don Etiebet, called on indigenous firms to prioritise financing and sustainability.
“We must ensure succession plans are geared toward sustainability. It’s not about employing from your ethnic group,” he said.
The event, themed “Driving Energy Sustainability Through Technology, Policy, and Supply Chain Excellence,” also featured contributions from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), who stressed the importance of innovation and capacity development in Nigeria’s energy future.
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