Abuja — The repeated delays in completing the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline have raised fresh concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s Compressed Natural Gas initiative.

The 614-kilometre, 2.8 billion dollar pipeline was inaugurated in June 2020 with an initial 24-month completion target.

‎Six years after, full completion is now projected for 2027.

‎The Private Sector Alliance for Accelerated CNG Growth, on Sunday in Abuja, called for urgent presidential intervention, warning that uncertainty over gas delivery is hurting investor confidence.

‎The convener of the alliance, Charles Goriola Yakub, announced the launch of the #LetTheAKKGasFlow Campaign to demand transparency and accountability on the project.

‎”NNPC must explain how a pipeline originally expected in 2022 has travelled through repeated completion promises and is now facing another projected delivery year,” Yakub said.

‎He noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had projected first gas to Gwagwalada by July 2026, but later shifted to phased commissioning later in the year.

‎He said President Tinubu’s CNG policy cannot succeed on conversion kits alone without available and affordable gas.

‎”President Tinubu has made CNG an important part of Nigeria’s response to the high cost of petrol. But you cannot build a national CNG revolution on conversion kits alone,” he said.

‎Yakub also questioned whether NNPC’s commercial interests in petrol sales align with rapid CNG expansion.

He said NNPC is a player in both the petrol economy and domestic gas development.

“Nigerians are entitled to ask whether the company’s internal commercial priorities are fully aligned with the rapid expansion of CNG,” he said.

He clarified that the alliance is not accusing NNPC of sabotage but demanding evidence that the project is getting priority attention.

The group said private conversion workshops, station developers and transport operators need predictable gas supply to commit long-term capital.

‎”Every new deadline creates uncertainty for businesses preparing to invest. Every delay postpones opportunities for cheaper transportation and job creation,” Yakub said.

‎The alliance called on President Tinubu to order independent verification of construction progress, pressure testing, safety certification and actual gas throughput.

‎It also demanded a public milestone timetable, disclosure of outstanding costs and review of missed deadlines.

‎Where negligence is established, it called for sanctions under the law.

Yakub challenged NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Executive Vice President Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, and the management of NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited to publicly clarify the current status and verifiable date for first commercial gas supply.

‎”We are not campaigning against NNPC. We are campaigning for the gas NNPC has repeatedly promised to deliver,” he said.

“The President’s CNG ambition deserves more than optimistic project percentages and shifting completion dates.”