Olufemi Adeyemi 


The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says it has spent over 1.1 billion dollars from its cash flow on the ongoing development of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline and Station project.

The $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline which will support the generation of about 3,600mw of power is set for completion in the third quarter of 2023.

Malam Mele Kyari, GCEO of NNPC Limited, stated this on Monday while touring some of its project sites in Kogi with newsmen and other stakeholders.

Kyari was accompanied by key officials from the NNPC Limited and Oilserv Limited (Pipelines and Facilities), the project’s contractor.

The NNPCL boss stated that the corporation will continue to fund the large project, which was being delivered in phases and has remained active despite the lack of third-party financing.

“So far, NNPC Ltd has funded over 1.1billion dollars on the project and to date none of the project activities is abandoned as reported and we reassure all stakeholders that we have a line of sight to project delivery on schedule.

“NNPC Limited remains highly committed towards the delivery of strategic National infrastructure projects through responsive project delivery, active collaboration with government security agencies and communities as well as deployment of technology for delivering the project.

This is is one of the most massive projects of proportion value to our country for economic growth. It is a must-deliver project and we have continued to fund in spite of not having third party finance support, we will deliver this project.

“We do not owe a dollar to our contractors, there are over 30 sites that are active today in this project, we are very hopeful and optimistic to deliver this project,” he assured.

The GCEO bemoaned the fact that it had lost some site workers owing to insecurity, expressing sympathy over their deaths and consoled their families, whom he said the firm shared in their pain

He stated that 70% of the welding work had been finished, and that after the welding was completed, gas could flow through the pipeline.

He stated that when the pipeline is completed, it will transport two billion cubic feet of gas, powering factories, powering power plants, and establishing gas-based companies.

He stated that the entire welding work would be done by the third quarter of 2023, after which the pipeline will be activated.

Kyari went on to say that the gas pipeline was expected to supply power plants totaling 3,645 Mega Watts, and that construction on the Abuja-Kaduna power plants would begin soon.

Mr Steve Nnorom, Project Manager, Oilserv Ltd, revealed that there were three schematics of the pipeline and station installations, which included the Brovo, Chalie, and Alpha spread segments, that illustrated the project’s development.

He stated that they were currently undertaking full auto welding, had completed 73% of their mainland welding work, and had 222 kilo metres of welding work left to do.

“We are crossing rivers, railway, existing pipelines. We have other sites where various work activities are ongoing, our target is that concurrently all works will be going on at different spread,” he said

Nnorom, while noting that the project has been active and fully financed said that it has purely 100 per cent Nigerian workers.