OGRepublic August Edition

NIGERIA OIL & GAS
AKK Gas Project Will Be Delivered on Schedule, Create
Massive Jobs, Prosperity, and Guarantee Peace - Kyari
The Group Managing Director of the
N i g e r i a n N a t i o n a l P e t r o l e u m
Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari,
has assured that the ongoing 614 kilometres
Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline
project would be delivered on schedule, create
prosperity through massive job opportunities
and guarantee peace for the country.
A statement by the Group General Manager,
Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr.
Kennie Obateru, disclosed that the GMD stated
this at Gas Sector Stakeholders’ Forum which
was held in Kano State, with the theme:
“Optimizing the Economic Development
Capacity of Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas
Pipeline Project”.
In a paper titled: “The AKK as an Economic
Development Game-Changer – NNPC’s Vision,
Contributions, & Plan Forward,” Mallam Kyari,
stated that the AKK gas project would help
revamp about 232 industries creating massive
employment opportunities and prosperity for
the people.
He said it would also serve as gas supply link to
other African countries and Europe upon
completion.
“This project has been on the drawing board for
30 years and the dream was to have gas
delivered to Europe across the Trans-Sahara
route. What we are seeing today would deliver
at least 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas to the
domestic market at the first instance with the
potential to increase it. What this means is that
it will debottleneck the gas supply network in
the entire country,” Mallam Kyari informed.
He said the AKK gas project would also lead to
the development of three Independent Power
Plants (IPP) in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano, adding
that the IPPs would boost electricity supply and
promote the growth of small and medium scale
enterprises in Nigeria.
“I want to state clearly that this gathering would
not have been possible if we don’t have a line of
sight to the completion of the AKK gas pipeline
project. This is possible because of the clear
direction that Mr. President has shown on the
need to deepen domestic gas consumption with
a view to creating prosperity out of the
enormous gas resources we have as a nation. He
has given us all the necessary support and
incentives to deliver on this project,” he stated.
Kyari said the AKK gas project would also boost
the Agricultural, Industrial, Manufacturing and
Power Sectors for the overall growth of the
nation’s economy.
Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director (GMD) Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
He said that the AKK gas pipeline project
was in sync with the aspiration of the
Federal Government to reduce the
nation’s carbon footprint in line with the
global quest to mitigate global warming
and climate change and in furtherance of
the Decade of Gas programme.
According to him, gas is a key driver of
prosperity all over the world and it cannot
be different in Nigeria, stressing that the
extensive industrial layout in the Otta
area of Ogun and Lagos States is
anchored on the gas supply by the NNPC
and its partners which is creating jobs and
other opportunities for people.
In his keynote address, the Minister of
State for Petroleum Resources, Chief
Timipre Sylva, said the Gas Sector
Stakeholders Forum would ensure
collaboration amongst stakeholders
geared towards kick-starting the required
activities that would guarantee full usage
of the gas to be delivered through the
AKK pipeline when completed.
“ To d ay ’s e v e n t r e i n fo r c e s o u r
commitment to realizing the inherent
potentials of gas usage as a national
catalyst for achieving economic
diversification from crude oil and as a
transition fuel from fossil of today to the
renewable energy of tomorrow,” Chief
Sylva submitted.
The AKK pipeline would be the biggest gas
pipeline infrastructure development in
the country’s recent history.
Harnessing and commercializing the Nigeria’s
vast gas reserves was an enabler for rapid
economic development and diversification of
the economy, and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano
(AKK) Gas Pipeline project is part of President
Buhari Administration’s efforts to ensure
sustainable development and growth of the
nation’s Economy.
The project, when completed, would provide
gas for generation of power and feedstock for
gas-based industries, and also facilitate the
revival of moribund industries and the
development of new ones along transit
towns in Kogi State, Abuja (FCT), Niger State,
Kaduna State and Kano State.
AKK project will generate employment
opportunities and facilitating Balanced
Economic Growth.
The AKK project is also a celebration of the
successes of the Nigerian Content Policy
goals. The project would be turning to reality
some of Nigeria’s long term economic
aspirations of boosting domestic energy
infrastructure, deepening the local gas
market, creating industrial corridors with
cleaner fuel, and commercializing the
country’s abundant gas resources.
The event had in attendance major
stakeholders in the oil and gas value chain
and the Governor of Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi
Ganduje, while the Governors of Nasarawa,
Niger, Kaduna, the Hon Minister of Finance
and Alhaji Aliko Dangote joined virtually. The
Governor of Kogi State sent a representative.
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