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Nigeria may commence the delivery of natural gas to Abuja by July through the long-delayed Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has indicated.
If realised, the development would mark a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to harness its vast gas reserves for sustainable economic growth.
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“We’re hoping that by July, gas will be delivered to Abuja through the AKK gas pipeline,” Reuters quoted a spokesperson for the NUPRC as saying in the regulator’s in-house magazine.
The 614-kilometre pipeline is designed to transport more than 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day. It is a key component of Nigeria’s strategy to deepen gas utilisation, supply power plants and industries in the northern region, and reduce dependence on diesel and fuel oil.
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Nigeria holds Africa’s largest proven gas reserves, estimated at over 210 trillion cubic feet. However, inadequate infrastructure has continued to limit full utilisation, making the AKK pipeline a critical test of the country’s gas-led development ambitions.
The $2.8 billion project, first conceived in 2008, has missed several completion deadlines, including targets set for 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2025.
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Although construction began in 2020, progress was reportedly slowed by funding constraints and engineering challenges, particularly the crossing of the River Niger. That segment, considered the most technically demanding, involved drilling beneath the riverbed using horizontal directional drilling techniques.
Gas to be transported through the AKK pipeline will largely originate from southern producing areas, linked through the East-West Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) gas pipeline, according to industry officials.
In January, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) unveiled its Gas Master Plan (GMP) 2026, aimed at driving industrialisation and strengthening energy security.
The GMP 2026 builds on the Nigerian Gas Master Plan of 2008 and aligns with the federal government’s decade of gas programme.
It is expected to serve as a comprehensive framework for coordinated development, improved execution, and enhanced value creation in the gas sector over the next decade.
