Nigeria is expected to begin gas delivery to the Federal Capital Territory through the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline by July, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
The $2.8 billion project, first conceived in 2008, has missed several delivery targets, including deadlines in 2023 and the final quarter of 2025.
The 614-kilometre pipeline is now more than 90 per cent complete, with July set as the latest timeline for supplying gas to Abuja.
“We’re hoping that by July, gas will be delivered to Abuja through the AKK gas pipeline,” a spokesperson for the NUPRC said.
The pipeline is designed to transport over 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day and forms a critical part of Nigeria’s strategy to power industries in the northern region and reduce dependence on diesel and fuel oil.
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Construction began in 2020 but faced delays due to funding constraints and technical challenges, including the complex crossing of the River Niger using horizontal directional drilling techniques.
The project is financed through a mix of debt and equity, with the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation covering 85 per cent of the total cost – approximately $2.59 billion from Chinese lenders.
The Nigerian Gas Company is contributing the remaining 15 per cent equity, valued at about $434 million.
Gas transported through the pipeline will largely originate from southern producing areas, linked through the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben gas pipeline.
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The project is expected to unlock industrial growth, improve electricity generation, and support Nigeria’s transition to a gas-based economy.
Previous completion timelines have been missed multiple times, including projections by NNPC for the first quarter of 2023, December 2023, and the first quarter of 2025.
The July target represents another critical test of Nigeria’s ability to deliver large-scale energy infrastructure projects on schedule.
