Emeka Okwuosa is the chairman of Oilserv, the company handling half of the 614-kilometre  Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) pipeline project. In this interview with KINGSLEY JEREMIAH, Okwuosa speaks on the progress of the project, the challenges and completion timeline. 

The AKK Project is indeed widely known across Nigeria, although many people may not fully understand its scope. AKK stands for the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline, which is a 614-kilometre gas transmission pipeline. Oilserv is responsible for constructing 303 kilometres of that, effectively half the route, stretching from Ajaokuta to the border between Kaduna State and Niger State.

When people hear about the length of the pipeline, they may think it is simply a matter of laying pipes on the ground. In reality, there is far more involved. A gas transmission pipeline of this scale is a major engineering system, comprising multiple facilities beyond the pipe itself. You have gas stations, intermediate pigging stations, block valve stations, terminal gas stations, and end-use facilities all along the route. So, this is truly a full pipeline system, forming the backbone for future distribution and spur lines that will reach the various load centres.

This project is a crucial element of Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan. Other elements of that plan have already been developed and are operational, for example, the Escravos–Lagos pipeline and the OB3 pipeline, which is a 48-inch large-diameter line. Oilserv was responsible for constructing half of that OB3 pipeline, which has been operational for more than four years now and is successfully transporting gas. The AKK pipeline is another vital segment of this master plan. Ultimately, a further pipeline will be built from the South to connect to Ajaokuta, completing the grand transmission grid envisaged by the Gas Master Plan.

Focusing on Oilserv’s 303-kilometre segment of the AKK, our target is to achieve mechanical completion by the end of 2025. One of the main challenges has been the extremely difficult terrain. If you were to visit our sites, you would see that large parts, particularly around Kogi State, are solid rock. In order to bury the pipeline to the required depth, we must blast the rock to create a trench. Once the pipe is welded, it must be laid at a depth of over two metres below ground level, meaning the trenching in some places is as deep as 3.5 to 4 metres.

You cannot leave a welded pipeline lying on the surface, so you must properly bury it for protection. These conditions have certainly tested us, but working closely with NNPC, we have been able to overcome them.

Crossing the River Niger was a critical milestone for the project. Without completing that crossing, there would be no continuous pipeline. The Niger is a very significant river in our crossing area; it is more than two kilometres wide. Laying a pipeline across such a massive water body must be done carefully to protect the environment. The river sustains communities who rely on fishing and navigation, so you cannot simply lay pipe across its bed and damage the ecosystem.

We used a method known as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), where you drill beneath the riverbed from one bank to the other. This technique prevents any disturbance to the river itself. It is conceptually similar to what was done for the Channel Tunnel between England and France, although the Channel Tunnel carries trains. With HDD, you pass through varying formations consolidated rock, clay, gravel, each posing technical challenges. Crossing a river of this size with HDD is rare globally and is a major engineering achievement.

Earlier, we had crossed the Pi River, which is around one kilometre wide, using the same HDD method. Although shorter, it still required precision. But with the River Niger, the engineering challenges were on another scale altogether. That success is something we are extremely proud of, and it showcases Oilserv’s capacity as an indigenous Nigerian company capable of delivering world-class results.

Security has been a major issue. Over the past five years, security in many parts of the country has deteriorated. During this project, we have faced security incidents, including, tragically, the loss of lives. Each time an incident occurs, work has to pause, security plans must be reviewed, and collaboration with government security agencies intensified.

We have had invaluable support from the Nigerian military, the police, the Department of State Services, and of course our client, NNPC. Without that, this project could never have progressed.

Weather is another significant challenge. For around six months each year, flooding and rain render some project areas completely inaccessible. And the road network further complicates things. Transporting these 40-inch diameter pipes, each 12 metres long, from the ports to the construction sites is a logistical marathon. You can only move two or three pipes per truck, and when you consider the thousands of pipes needed for 303 kilometres, it is a mammoth exercise, often through roads that are impassable during the rainy season.

Nevertheless, our team and NNPC have remained fully committed because this is a national priority. Energy is fundamental to economic development, and we are determined to see this project through.

At the peak of the AKK project, we had over 2,000 people working directly with Oilserv, in addition to thousands more engaged through vendors, subcontractors, and partners. Oilserv is fully Nigerian-owned and managed, and all staff are Nigerians. We began operations in 1995 and have always invested in growing local capacity.

Building and retaining that capacity is not easy. Nearly all of our equipment must be imported and maintained from abroad, and managing the foreign exchange challenges is a constant battle. Furthermore, training human resources from scratch is critical. Under Nigerian labour laws, once trained, staff are free to leave so we have to continually invest in training new people. But these efforts have built a resilient, skilled workforce capable of handling some of the most demanding engineering tasks in the country.

That is a crucial point. Pipelines usually traverse remote areas, away from built-up communities, for safety reasons. But this means passing through forests, farmlands, and local communities. We engage directly with these host communities before any work begins. We identify their needs, explore opportunities for them to participate in the project, and agree on frameworks through Memorandums of Understanding.

We believe in respecting these agreements. If you fail to deliver on what you promise, you will struggle to return to those communities in the future. Our consistent record of respecting communities and maintaining a positive relationship is something I am proud of. We also uphold their traditions, protect their environment, and involve them meaningfully.

Yes, security has fundamentally changed the way we work. Twenty or 25 years ago, you might leave camp by 5.30 a.m. and work until 7 p.m., returning by 8 p.m. Today, due to security risks, you cannot leave camp before 7.30 a.m. or so, once the security agencies have cleared the area, and you must return by 4 p.m. This shortens the working day, which has a direct impact on project schedules.

Moreover, security itself is a massive operation. Sometimes we have more security personnel than workers at a particular site, including military, police, civil defence, and even local hunters familiar with the terrain. It all adds to the complexity and cost of the project, but it is absolutely essential.

Initially, the plan was to secure external financing, with negotiations focused on Chinese lenders. Unfortunately, that did not materialise. NNPC then took on the funding internally, which is an enormous commitment.

The structure of the contract meant that NNPC did not pay upfront. Instead, milestones were agreed upon with corresponding contract values. Oilserv would pre-finance each milestone with support from our banking partners, execute it, and then invoice NNPC upon completion and certification of that milestone. This arrangement allowed NNPC to manage its resources while keeping the project moving.

Of course, this system placed a big responsibility on us as contractors, but it also gave NNPC flexibility. Thanks to close cooperation between both parties; it has worked well.

Once Oilserv completes the engineering, procurement, and construction (the EPC phase), we hand over the commissioned pipeline to NNPC. NNPC then has its own arrangements for operations and maintenance, typically involving a specialist company. Oilserv is capable of providing those services as well, if requested, but it would be under a separate contract.

If properly maintained, a pipeline of this nature can last 50 to 60 years. NNPC will be responsible for maintaining it in line with international industry standards and codes, which are universally recognised. Those standards ensure safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Of course! Over the course of our business, Oilserv has developed partnerships with many financial institutions, both Nigerian and international. Afreximbank is particularly significant among them. It is a multilateral African financial institution whose mission is to support, finance, and develop projects across Africa.

They run a programme called the “African Champion”, where they identify and qualify companies with the capability, sound management, and vision to support African development. The process to qualify is rigorous, but we succeeded. Oilserv is the only Nigerian EPC company recognised as an African Champion by Afreximbank.

This means Afreximbank will actively work with us, not just for financing, but as a transaction advisor and a partner to develop projects across Africa. At the moment, we are working together on several gas-based industrial facilities. These will become more visible in the next year or two.

I must stress again that gas is the future of Nigeria’s energy system and the wider world. It is the key transition fuel while renewable energy capacity continues to develop, since gas has a smaller carbon footprint than oil. Nigeria is blessed with abundant gas resources, and our partnership with Afreximbank positions us strongly for the future.

So yes, being recognised as an African Champion by Afreximbank is a significant achievement, and one we are immensely proud of.