AKK Pipeline: What the North Must Do. A Stronger Call for Immediate Action
By Abdul Haruna, Kano.
As 2027 draws closer, the people of Northern Nigeria stand at a defining crossroads.
The Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline is no longer just a project, it is a solemn national promise that must be fulfilled. With welding of the main line completed, including the critical River Niger crossing, and the Ajaokuta–Gwagwalada segment targeted for first gas flow by July 2026, the time for excuses is over.
AKK must be fully completed and commissioned without further delay. A promise is a promise. With AKK, we expect light and industrial revival. No Light, No Vote in 2027.
The AKK Pipeline: The North’s Long-Awaited Lifeline.
This 614 kilometers pipeline is designed to deliver up to 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily to key Northern hubs ie. Ajaokuta, Gwagwalada (Abuja), Kaduna, and Kano. For decades, the North has suffered chronic power shortages, collapsed industries, and high energy cost all resulting to unemployment and increased insecurity in the region. The AKK project promises to change that forever by:
Fueling thermal power plants to generate reliable electricity across the region.
Reviving textile, manufacturing, and agro-processing industries in Kano, Kaduna, and beyond.
Enabling affordable Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for transport and mini-LNG solutions.
Creating thousands of jobs and reducing dependence on expensive diesel and petrol.
For Kano and the entire 19 Northern states, AKK is not optional infrastructure, it is the foundation for economic rebirth and energy security.
Current Reality and the Need for Urgency.
As of now April 2026, significant milestones have been achieved, mainline welding is done, and the federal government through NNPCL has repeatedly assured that first gas will flow to Gwagwalada by July 2026.
This is welcome progress, but the North cannot accept partial delivery. We demand full extension to Kaduna and Kano, adequate pressure through , necessary compressor stations, and actual commissioning so that gas reaches industries and power plants without excuses.
Timelines have slipped in the past. With elections approaching, Northerners will no longer tolerate delays. The remaining works of final tie-ins, testing, downstream infrastructure, and full operational flow must be accelerated and completed within 2026.
What We From The North Must Do, A Stronger, Unified Action.
As a concerned citizen from Kano, I issue this stronger call to every leader, traditional ruler, governor, senator, civil society group, youth, women, and ordinary citizen across the North to do the followings,
Launch Coordinated Northern Power Initiatives.
We must move beyond talk and establish practical, people driven initiatives to drive the AKK project to completion and prepare for its benefits.
Form Northern AKK Monitoring Committees in every state, comprising governors, traditional leaders (Emirs, Clerics and Chiefs), business leaders, and youth representatives. These committees should receive monthly progress reports from NNPCL and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and publicly flag any delays.
Civil Society Groups, Traders and Labor unions to Organize in the region “Power for the North” Town Hall Meetings and sensitization campaigns in major cities Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Jos, Bauchi, and others to educate citizens on the benefits of AKK and build grassroots pressure.
Invest in complementary infrastructure: State governments should fast track development of gas distribution networks, power plants, and industrial parks ready to receive AKK gas the moment it arrives. Private sector partnerships for CNG stations and mini LNG facilities should be aggressively pursued now.
Launch skills and entrepreneurship programs focused on gas-to-power, CNG conversion, and gas based industries so that our youth are ready to seize the opportunities AKK will bring.
These initiatives will demonstrate that the North is serious, prepared, and united in demanding and maximizing the AKK dividend.
Build an Unbreakable Regional Solidarity and Electoral Accountability.
The AKK pipeline belongs to the entire North, not just one or two states. We must speak with one powerful voice:
The Northern States Governors’ Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum, and other respected bodies should issue a joint declaration demanding full AKK commissioning by the end of 2026, with clear milestones and penalties for failure.
Traditional rulers and religious leaders should use their platforms in mosques and churches, palaces, and public gatherings to amplify the message: AKK Completion is Non Negotiable.
Youth and civil society should sustain peaceful but firm advocacy through media, social platforms, and strategic engagements with the Presidency, NNPCL, and National Assembly.
Above all, we must link this demand directly to 2027: Any political party or candidate seeking the massive Northern vote bloc must demonstrate concrete commitment to AKK delivery and broader power infrastructure. No Light, No Vote.
If AKK brings reliable electricity, industrial jobs, and lower energy costs, the North will respond accordingly. If promises remain unfulfilled, the North will withhold its support. This is not threat, it is responsible citizenship and democratic accountability.
A Stronger, United Call To Action.
To The Federal Government and NNPCL:
The countdown to July 2026 is on. Accelerate every remaining step. Deliver first gas as promised, extend it fully to Kano, and ensure the pipeline operates at full capacity. The North has waited long enough. Fulfill this promise and earn our trust.
To my brothers and sisters across the 19 Northern states: Let us rise together with renewed determination. Establish the power initiatives. Forge unbreakable solidarity. Demand what is rightfully ours.
AKK Pipeline must be completed and commissioned in 2026.
With AKK, we demand light, power, peace and economic revival.
No Light, No Vote in 2027.
A promise is a promise. The North deserves development, not excuses.
Let this message echo from Kano to every corner of the region. Share it widely in markets, mosques, churches, schools, online, and in every gathering.
The power to shape our future lies in our unity and resolve. Let us use it wisely and forcefully for the sake of our children and the prosperity of Northern Nigeria.
This is our moment. Let the North speak — and act — as one.
Abdul Haruna
Concerned Citizen, Kano.
