Niger gov’t signs MOU with NNPCL on AKK gas pipeline industrial dev’t zone

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of has declared over one thousand square kilometers of land located in Saikin-Power Munya local government of the state as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline corridor an Industrial Development Zone.

Governor Bago made the disclosure while delivering his address at the 2026 AKK and Energy Business Development Forum in Minna, as part of state government plans to accelerate industrialisation, attract investments and drive gas-powered economic growth.

He noted that the state would gazette the corridor and provide the infrastructure required to attract investors, adding that the land is between the AKK pipeline entry point from the Federal Capital Territory and its exit point in Munya Local Government Area had been designated for industrial development.

The governor revealed that the state would fast-track compensation on the land to pave the way for industries, adding that the AKK project offered a unique opportunity to unlock the economic potential of the Bida Basin and transform Niger into an industrial powerhouse.

Bago also announced plans to establish a major Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) hub in Suleja, with groundbreaking scheduled for September, saying the project would support cleaner transportation and unlock economic opportunities for residents.

NNPC new energy limited and Niger state government for cooperation in promotion and Development of Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Solutions, however signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

He commended President Bola Tinubu for removing fuel subsidy, describing the decision as a bold reform that had opened new opportunities for gas development and accelerated Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy.

Earlier, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, described the AKK pipeline as a transformative national infrastructure project that would bridge Nigeria’s resource wealth with industrial prosperity.

Ojulari said the pipeline formed part of the Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline network and would provide the infrastructure required to commercialise Nigeria’s abundant gas resources while supporting the Federal Government’s target of increasing gas supply to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2027 and 12 billion by 2030.

In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, said the forum reflected the Bago administration’s commitment to building a stronger, more competitive and economically vibrant Niger State through strategic investments in energy infrastructure.

Usman said the AKK pipeline was a transformative national project that would drive industrial growth, create employment opportunities and support sustainable economic development, adding that the state government had continued to improve the business environment through infrastructure development and institutional reforms.

Also presenting an update on the project, the Managing Director of the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), Alhaji Audu Ibrahim, said construction had reached an advanced stage, with all 623.21 kilometres of mainline welding completed, trenching almost concluded and pre-commissioning activities ongoing on completed sections.