[This Day] Abuja -- The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the federal government is seeking $1 billion to continue work on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, a key project costing about $2.8 billion, after Chinese lenders, which had pledged to offer most of the funds, failed to disburse cash as quickly as expected, three sources privy to the matter told Reuters.