In a bold appeal to the global energy market, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has declared a key breakthrough in its $2.8bn Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project — announcing the successful crossing of the River Niger.
The River Niger is the most challenging technical milestone of the 614km pipeline project.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mr. Bayo Ojulari, announced this on Tuesday during his keynote address at the Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week Conference in Abuja.
This is the first major public engagement of the NNPC Boss since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
With pipeline infrastructure now in place and previously elusive milestones achieved, Ojulari said now is the time to focus on getting massive investment to boost oil and gas production.
“We’ve solved the infrastructure bottleneck. Now we need investment — urgently,” he told a packed hall of industry leaders and stakeholders. “The stars are beginning to align, and this is the time to act.”
The AKK pipeline, now over 70 per cent complete, is designed to transport natural gas from Ajaokuta in central Nigeria to Kano in the north — a 40-inch, 614km artery expected to fuel power plants, unlock new industrial zones, and spur job creation in underserved regions.
With the River Niger segment — once described as a “project within a project” due to its complexity — now behind them, the NNPCL believes it has removed the key credibility barrier that held back investor confidence.
“We had to bring in specialist capability, restructure contracts, and overcome huge technical and commercial challenges. But we’ve done it,” said Ojulari.
Ojulari at the event also announced that Nigeria’s pipeline infrastructure is now fully secure and operational for the first time in decades, following coordinated efforts by the federal government, regulators, and the military.
He said, “Today, we have 100 per cent pipeline availability. That was previously unthinkable. The infrastructure is ready — the risk profile has changed.”
This restored security, he noted, dramatically reduces uncertainty for investors wary of sabotage and downtime, clearing the way for reliable midstream and upstream expansion.
Despite the positive strides, Ojulari lamented that oil production levels remain well below potential.
According to him, as of June 2025, Nigeria averaged just 1.35 million barrels of crude per day, plus condensates, far from its capacity.
He attributed the gap to years of underinvestment and said unlocking capital is now the top priority.
“We no longer have an infrastructure excuse. The constraint is capital, and Nigeria is open for business.”
Ojulari urged both domestic and foreign investors to seize the moment, pointing to the AKK as a proof-of-concept for large-scale infrastructure delivery in Nigeria.
With regulatory reforms underway, improved security across the oil and gas corridor, and demand for clean energy growing across West Africa, the GCEO said the window for smart capital deployment is now.