The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, has revealed that the ongoing construction of Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline project is currently at 15% completion.
This disclosure was made by Kyari at the inspection of the second leg of the project at Karogo community in Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
The $2.8 billion 614-kilometre gas project, which was flagged off in July 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to boost domestic gas consumption, power generation and industrialization.
Kyari said, “The project is currently at about 15 per cent completion but what is important for us to know is that we are crossing the river Niger, what we call the Ndoni-Aboh river crossing in Rivers and Delta states that will deliver gas from the eastern part to the country into the western corridor. That means expanding gas supply into the helpline and making gas ready.
“We are happy that this project is going on and we will deliver it on course and schedule. We have all the assurances of government and particularly that this government is focused on delivering this project, so that we clear the transnational gas pipeline, which has eluded us.
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“By completing the project and expanding the L2 lines and crossing the Ndoniabo River, we would have created a major gas trunk line for gas delivery to our domestic market.”
While commending the NNPC and the contractors for their commitment and quality of work done so far, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiah Zainab Ahmed, gave assurances of full funding of the project for delivery at the targeted timeline.
She said: ‘’I have seen very high level of work that has been done and it is of excellent quality, I can see the potential of what will happen to the cities that the project is passing. It is going to bring huge businesses and employ a lot of people. Already the project is employing people at the level the work is done so far.
‘’This project is assured in terms of funding, we already secured a loan of 2.5 billion dollars from China Eximbank, the financing has been closed, all that is done now is disbursements for the contractors to continue doing their work.”
The minister urged all stakeholders to continue to collaborate to ensure full delivery of the project at the targeted period.
The project which is reputed to be the single biggest gas pipeline project in Nigeria’s history is expected to move gas between the southern and northern parts of the country and will eventually extend to North Africa.
The 614 km gas pipeline project will be in three phases: The first phase is 200 kilometres long and is between Ajaokuta and Abuja, at a projected cost of $855 million.
