The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline is 95 per cent complete, and the Energy Reforms Monitoring Initiative Africa has commended NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Ojulari for pushing the $1.5 billion-backed project to the finish line.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the initiative framed the 614-kilometre pipeline as critical national infrastructure capable of converting Nigeria's natural gas reserves into measurable economic gains. Executive Director Dr Patrick Kwame said the delivery schedule — gas to Abuja before the end of 2026, then Kaduna and Kano in 2027 — shows NNPC moving past announcements to execution.

What does 95 per cent actually change?

For operators and planners, the timeline matters more than the milestone. Gas reaching Abuja in 2026 sets a hard anchor for power generators and industrial users preparing to switch feedstock. Kaduna and Kano follow in 2027, connecting the pipeline's namesake industrial centres.

Kwame set the benchmark for judging the project's success: electricity generation, industrial production and household energy access.

"Major infrastructure projects are ultimately judged by their impact on people's lives, not simply by the amount of money invested or the length of pipelines constructed," the statement said. "The AKK project has the potential to change how businesses operate, how electricity is generated and how households access energy. We commend Mr Bayo Ojulari for maintaining the focus required to bring this important national investment closer to completion."

The economics behind the praise

The 40-inch transmission system runs from Ajaokuta in Kogi State through Abuja and Kaduna to Kano, tying major economic centres along its route into one gas corridor. NNPC has reportedly secured $1.5 billion in financing against projected pipeline throughput — a structure the initiative read as proof that commercially viable infrastructure can still attract investment in Nigeria's energy sector.

The group listed the downstream effects it expects from reliable supply:

• improved power generation;
• stronger manufacturing and industrial investment;
• new employment opportunities;
• lower energy costs for businesses, with knock-on gains for workers, suppliers and consumers;
• wider energy choices for households.

Kwame argued that cheaper energy lets manufacturers run more efficiently, with benefits spreading through the supply chain to consumers. He also flagged compressed natural gas (CNG) as a beneficiary: better gas infrastructure could give transport operators real alternatives to petrol and diesel.

Why the north gains most

The pipeline addresses a structural imbalance. Industrial and power facilities in Northern Nigeria currently depend on gas transported over long distances from the South. A local supply source strengthens the region's energy security and cuts the logistics risk that has long deterred industrial investment there.

Expanding the distribution network, the group added, could carry benefits beyond major cities and industrial hubs into smaller communities and commercial locations along the corridor.

What remains unfinished?

The initiative drew a sharp line between a completed transmission pipeline and gas actually reaching end-users. It urged NNPC to keep building the distribution networks and facilities that convert trunk-line capacity into supply for power plants, factories and households.

"The remaining work must receive the same level of attention and urgency that has brought the project to its present stage," the statement said. "A completed transmission pipeline must translate into actual gas supply for power plants, factories and other users."

The group pressed NNPC to sustain transparency and accountability through execution, and called on government institutions, investors and industry stakeholders to back both the final construction phase and additional connections to underserved communities. Ojulari's leadership earned the commendation; the delivery test, on the group's own terms, runs through 2027 and beyond.