AKK gas pipeline set for commissioning amid protest by Kano manufacturers

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says the mainline section of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline is nearing completion, just as a company demands compensation for its land acquired for the project.

NNPCL said the facility will significantly improve gas availability and boost Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) supply across Northern Nigeria.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Bashir Ojulari, disclosed this during an interview in Abuja on Friday.

​According to Mr Ojulari, the AKK Gas Pipeline project is currently 95 per cent complete, with the remaining five per cent covering auxiliary stations and end-user connections.

He noted that expanding gas linkages to additional locations will substantially increase CNG availability across the region.

​Mr Ojulari expects gas delivery to Abuja to begin before the end of 2026 to support power generation, factories, data centres, and industrial hubs, while Kaduna and Kano are scheduled to receive supplies by 2027.

He added that NNPCL successfully raised $1.5 billion for the project based solely on projected pipeline throughput.

​“The main pipeline of the AKK gas project, running all the way from Ajaokuta through Kaduna to Kano, has been completed,” Mr Ojulari said.

“The remaining five per cent involves completing some of the stations needed to link offtakes from the main pipeline to end-users.

​“We are hoping that before the end of the year, we will deliver gas to Abuja as the first phase, and by 2027, we will extend supply to Kaduna and Kano. However, keep in mind that this is just the main line. From there, we will build more connections to other areas.

​“We have already addressed the initial phase because we now have the Abuja power plant. As we move further north and establish those connections, CNG availability will increase phenomenally.

“We still need to extend the network toward Maiduguri and Sokoto, so there is more work to be done—but it is now much easier than transporting gas all the way from Port Harcourt to those locations.”

​He explained that the infrastructure creates a far more accessible supply network, simplifying regional gas distribution.

While acknowledging that further extensions are necessary to reach cities like Maiduguri and Sokoto, Mr Ojulari emphasised that the AKK pipeline provides a vital backbone that makes future expansions considerably easier.

​The AKK Gas Pipeline is a 40-inch, 614-kilometre pipeline system running from Ajaokuta in Kogi State to Kano, complete with intermediate and terminal gas facilities designed to transport natural gas to commercial and industrial off-takers across Northern Nigeria.

Protest

Meanwhile, A.B. Janruwa Enterprises has demanded compensation for more than four hectares of land allegedly taken over in Kano State for a development corridor linked to the AKK Gas Pipeline Project.

The Kano-based manufacturing company said the disputed land, located in the Chalawa Industrial Area of Kumbotso Local Government Area, was acquired over several years from local farmers and earmarked for a multi-billion-naira factory expansion project expected to create more than 2,000 jobs.

According to the company, contractors working on behalf of government authorities recently began fencing the property, which the company later discovered had been incorporated into a proposed industrial layout associated with the AKK gas pipeline development corridor.

Development must not come at the expense of justice

Speaking on the matter, the company’s manager, Abdullahi Hashim, said it supports industrial development and strategic investments such as the AKK pipeline but believes that affected businesses should not bear the costs alone.

According to him, the company was shocked to discover physical activities taking place on the land despite what it describes as the absence of formal notification or compensation arrangements.

The dispute highlights a broader concern around large-scale infrastructure projects in Nigeria: whether landowners’ rights are being adequately protected during acquisition processes.

For A.B. Janruwa Enterprises, the issue is not opposition to development but a demand for fairness, due process and lawful compensation.

Lawyer questions due process

The company’s legal representative, Umar Ahmad-Umar, said it was never served with a revocation notice and only learned of the developments after physical activities had already begun on the land.

The lawyer argued that compensation is not merely a financial obligation. “It is a fundamental safeguard designed to balance public interest with private rights and to ensure that citizens and businesses do not unfairly shoulder the burden of national development projects.”

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Government assures landowners of compensation

Responding to the allegations, Murtala Shehu, Director of Public Enlightenment at the Kano State Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, stated that all affected landowners would be compensated and urged the company to remain calm.

The official assured that no land would be forcibly taken over and described the project as intended to advance Kano State’s economic prosperity.

Mr Shehu appealed for patience while government processes continue.

Hussaini Bukar, a development expert, argues that paying prompt and adequate compensation protects constitutional property rights, prevents costly disputes and litigation, and encourages investor confidence.

He added that while development is key for national growth, it cannot be done at the expense of investors.

‘’Paying compensation demonstrates respect for affected communities and businesses, and enhances public support for strategic national projects, Mr Bukar said.

He argued that if land is acquired in the public interest, compensation must follow under the law.

That principle, he added, is not only a legal obligation but an essential foundation for sustainable development and investor confidence in Nigeria