By John Ofikhenua and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and its contractor handling the bulk of the $2.6b Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project, Oilserv Limited, yesterday stated that natural gas would be transported through the AKK pipeline in the first quarter of 2023.
They disclosed this during an inspection tour of the construction work on the gas pipeline project in the Abaji end of the facility in Abuja.
Speaking during the inspection of the project, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mele Kyari, told journalists that the President would see to completion of the project before the expiration of his adminisration.
Kyari said: “This is a signature project for Mr. President. This is one great thing that this President will deliver to this country before he leaves and we will put gas on this line before Mr. President leaves.
“More importantly, this is one major project that will bring development and progress to this country, power will be stabilised, industries will come up across the country, because this will ensure gas supply nationwide, not just the AKK pipeline.
“We are very confident and vow that this project will be delivered and that this country will be happy that we have done something great. By quarter one 2023, we’ll put gas on this line.”
On the work being done by the contractor, Kyari said: “We are happy with this contractor and we know that this project will be delivered on time and as scheduled. Yes we have missed some time and we are doing catch-up, but we are truly going to meet the new schedule we have set.”
The Group Chairman of Oilserv Limited, Emeka Okwuosa, said the engineering work handled by the contractor was more than 80 per cent done, while procurement was over 50 per cent completed.
He said: “By building AKK we’ll be able to move gas and satisfy the midstream activities and this generates the upstream activities that would happen in the South of our country.
“Gas is a key factor in the energy sector in the country. It is what will make Nigeria come up again industrially and we will be able to develop the country through gas.”