The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced plans to begin the phased commissioning of the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline before the end of 2026.

NNPC Executive Vice President for Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, disclosed this at the Energy Business Development Forum in Minna, Niger State.

Ogunleye said the pipeline has reached Abuja, while construction work on the Niger State section is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The 614-kilometre, 40-inch AKK pipeline is designed to transport natural gas from Ajaokuta in Kogi State through Kaduna to Kano, providing gas to power plants, industries and other consumers across the northern region.

The project is expected to increase domestic gas consumption and support power generation and industrial development in areas that have historically had limited access to Nigeria’s southern gas supply.

Construction progress improved after the pipeline successfully crossed the River Niger last year, removing one of the major engineering challenges associated with the project.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said the state is also positioning itself to benefit from the pipeline. He announced plans for a 1,000-square-kilometre Industrial Development Park along the AKK corridor.

The industrial park is expected to create opportunities for agro-allied, petrochemical and fertiliser investments.

NNPC said the phased commissioning will allow parts of the pipeline to become operational while work continues on other sections, with the Niger State corridor targeted for completion before the end of 2026.