The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has crossed a major milestone in the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, as the project successfully crossed the River Niger.
This achievement, announced by NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Bayo Ojulari on Tuesday, is seen as a boost to the company’s target of completing the project by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Ojulari, who spoke during the 24th NOG Energy Week in Abuja, explained that the crossing was made possible through contract re engineering and collaboration across the industry.
He further noted that, for the first time in recent history, Nigeria’s crude oil pipelines achieved 100% availability throughout June 2025, which has helped increase crude oil production.
“This milestone shows the value of strategic collaboration and a strong focus on delivery,” Ojulari said. “Crossing the River Niger is a critical step in the AKK project and keeps us firmly on track to meet our deadline.”
Progress and challenges
The AKK pipeline, one of Nigeria’s largest gas infrastructure projects, is expected to transport about 2 billion cubic feet of gas daily from southern Nigeria to demand centers in the north.
Experts say its completion could help boost industrial growth, power generation and economic development in the country.
Ojulari stated that NNPC’s recent success in maintaining crude oil pipeline availability is linked to security efforts led by the company, which aim to tackle persistent issues of vandalism and theft that have long affected the sector.
“Through coordinated security interventions, we’ve managed to keep our crude oil pipelines running without interruption,” he noted. “This has supported higher production levels and improved stability in the sector.”
He, however, mentioned that further progress depends on attracting more investments to boost production.
