AKK Gas pipeline to boost Northern Nigeria’s energy - Oilserv CEO
By Matthew Denis
The Group Chief Executive Officer of Oilserv Limited, Dr. Emeka Okwuosa, has announced that the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project is designed to transport natural gas to Northern Nigeria, marking a critical step in the nation’s energy infrastructure development.
Speaking during a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Dr. Okwuosa revealed that the pipeline has successfully crossed the River Niger, one of the project’s most significant engineering challenges using the environmentally friendly Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technique.
"The crossing of River Niger, which is the major obstacle, is a major milestone. Without crossing the River Niger, you will not have a complete pipeline," he said, describing the HDD method as a trenchless and advanced drilling technique that allows underground pipeline installation with minimal environmental disruption.
The 614-kilometer-long AKK pipeline, being executed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), will transport gas for power generation, industrial use, and residential distribution.
Oilserv is handling a 303-kilometer segment of the pipeline, starting from Ajaokuta to the boundary between Kaduna and Niger States.
Dr. Okwuosa emphasized the technical and environmental complexities the project has had to overcome, noting the pipeline's route traverses thick jungles, river crossings, cliffs, and rocky terrain, particularly around Kogi State.
“Physically, you have to drill across roads and rivers. In the case of River Niger, the crossing is over two kilometers wide.
We had to build this pipeline in a way that respects the environment and avoids disturbing the water itself,” he said, comparing the engineering feat to the Channel Tunnel linking England and France.
Despite security concerns, flooding, difficult terrain, and complex logistics, Dr. Okwuosa noted that Oilserv, an indigenous engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, has delivered with technical excellence.
“We are the premier indigenous EPC pipeline company. This project is a testament to our capacity,” he added.
The AKK pipeline forms a key part of the Nigeria Gas Master Plan, joining other major infrastructure like the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline and the OB3 pipeline.
Okwuosa said the goal is to achieve mechanical completion of the AKK pipeline by the end of 2025.
He also highlighted the financial support from Afreximbank and Fidelity Bank, which enabled Oilserv to finance key project milestones while NNPC Ltd. handles reimbursement.
With this milestone achieved, the AKK Gas Pipeline moves closer to its promise of transforming energy access and driving economic growth in Nigeria’s northern region.