The $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project has achieved a major milestone with the successful crossing of the River Niger, a critical bottleneck that had delayed progress on the strategic infrastructure.
Oilserv Limited, the contractor handling Section A of the project, confirmed on Wednesday that the crossing was completed using advanced Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology. The feat marks a significant step forward in the completion of the 614-kilometre pipeline, which is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan.
“This major feat of engineering excellence, done within three months, marks a bold advancement in infrastructure delivery across one of Nigeria’s most challenging terrains,” Oilserv said in a statement. “As a vital link between regions, this achievement paves the way for greater national integration, energy sustainability, and economic growth.”
The River Niger crossing had posed one of the most daunting technical challenges in the project, with earlier attempts using conventional techniques proving unsuccessful and causing delays and cost overruns. With the deployment of HDD technology, the 40-inch, 1.6-kilometre pipeline was successfully installed beneath the riverbed with minimal environmental impact.
The AKK project, which is being spearheaded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), had reached 72 percent completion as of mid-2025. The successful resolution of the river crossing is expected to accelerate the project’s timeline and unlock further progress.
Oilserv, led by Group Chief Executive Officer Emeka Okwuosa, is part of a consortium of local firms awarded the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for the Ajaokuta-Abuja section. The company also recently completed another major crossing at Pai River, involving a 40-inch pipeline and a 480-metre fiber optic cable installation in a challenging granite terrain.
The AKK pipeline forms part of Phase 1 of the larger 1,300-kilometre Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline (TNGP) and is integral to Nigeria’s plan to harness its abundant gas resources for domestic consumption and power generation. It also connects to the proposed 4,401-kilometre Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), which is intended to export gas to European markets.
Designed to transport up to 3.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day from the southern gas fields to the north, the pipeline is expected to boost industrialisation, enhance energy security, and support Nigeria’s energy transition.
Meanwhile, the federal government is considering urgent financial and policy interventions to address power tariff challenges impacting gas supply to key thermal power plants operated under the NNPC.
A high-level meeting held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Wednesday brought together the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; and NNPC officials led by Dr. Salihu Jamari, representing the Executive Vice President (EVP) of Gas, Power and New Energy.
Discussions focused on resolving tariff shortfalls and delayed payments within the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) framework, which are threatening the sustainability of critical gas-fired power plants, including the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant, Okpai IPP Phase 2, and Kano IPP Phase 1.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC warned that continued delay in addressing the financial gaps could compromise power supply to key regions and have wider economic repercussions.
Minister Ekpo stressed the need to resolve the issues to ensure that Nigeria’s gas-to-power infrastructure delivers on its full potential, particularly in boosting electricity supply to Maiduguri, Kano, and the national grid.
Finance Minister Edun called for a coordinated approach among all stakeholders to establish a sustainable financing model for the affected power plants. All parties agreed to convene a follow-up meeting with the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, to chart a path forward and implement actionable solutions within a short timeframe.
