The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has achieved a major breakthrough with the successful completion of the main line welding for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari announced on Sunday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.
The completion marks a turning point for the ambitious project, which struggled for years to cross the River Niger before finally achieving that milestone in the summer. With the main line now complete, NNPC will begin connecting all branch lines in early 2026, bringing the project closer to full operation.
The pipeline’s impact on Nigeria’s industrial development cannot be overstated. Once operational, the infrastructure will transport two billion standard cubic feet of natural gas daily to three proposed independent power plants in Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano. Beyond power generation, the pipeline will supply gas to fertilizer plants, industrial parks, and other commercial off-takers along the entire route, potentially transforming the economic landscape of northern Nigeria.
Ojulari emphasized the broader significance of the achievement, noting that bringing gas in its full form to the northern region will catalyze industrialization in Kaduna, Kano, Ajaokuta, and Abuja. The GCEO also outlined NNPC’s ambitious production targets for 2026, including reaching at least 1.8 million barrels per day of oil production and significantly increasing gas output.
Since former President Muhammadu Buhari flagged off the project in June 2020, NNPC has recorded significant achievements despite numerous challenges. The company is now focused on attracting the right investments to boost production and rationalizing its portfolio to develop fields that have remained fallow for years.
Source: premiumtimesng.com