Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline will open Niger economy to investors – Bago

Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago believes the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline corridor presents a transformative opportunity for the state's economy. He announced that the 1,000-square-kilometer stretch of the pipeline passing through Niger State will be developed into an Industrial Development Zone, designed to significantly accelerate industrialization and foster gas-powered economic growth.

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My administration is determined to maximise these opportunities to transform the state’s economy and make it one of Nigeria’s leading productive economies.

Speaking at an energy business development forum in Minna, Governor Bago emphasized that the AKK project will unlock the state's vast economic potential by attracting substantial investments, creating numerous jobs, and driving industrial expansion. He highlighted the project's capacity to stimulate the establishment of crucial sectors such as agro-allied industries, petrochemical plants, and fertilizer companies, thereby positioning Niger State as a premier industrial hub.

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I’m not exaggerating when I say this is a new dawn for Niger State. It is a new opportunity not only for Nigeria but for the entire region.

The governor further stressed that Niger State's unique combination of abundant hydropower resources, extensive solar energy potential, and the newly accessible natural gas from the AKK pipeline provides a strategic advantage for industrial development. "My administration is determined to maximize these opportunities to transform the state’s economy and make it one of Nigeria’s leading productive economies," Bago stated, envisioning a "new dawn" for the state and the wider region.

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With our hydropower resources, vast solar energy potential and now natural gas, Niger State is uniquely positioned for industrial growth.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited confirmed that the AKK Gas Pipeline project has reached Abuja and is slated for commissioning in September 2026. Olufemi Olalekan, Executive Vice President of the company's Gas, Power and New Energy Directorate, noted that while the pipeline infrastructure is complete up to Kano and being commissioned in phases, work on the Niger State section is progressing steadily and expected to finish by year-end.

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Work on the Niger State section is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed before the end of the year.