NNPC achieves breakthrough on OB3 River Niger gas pipeline

Goli Innocent

Lagos — NNPC Limited has recorded a major engineering breakthrough with the successful River Niger crossing of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline, a development the company says will significantly reshape Nigeria’s gas transmission capacity.

The crossing, executed by the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, completes one of the most technically difficult sections of the 130-kilometre OB3 pipeline project. The work was carried out about two kilometres beneath the River Niger using horizontal directional drilling technology, alongside project partner PCE Nig. Limited.

The pipeline is designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, linking major gas producing zones in the East with demand centres in the West and extending connectivity towards the Northern corridor through the AKK pipeline.

Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the development as a defining moment for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure ambitions. “The completion of the OB3 River Niger Crossing is a defining milestone for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and a clear demonstration of what disciplined execution and sustained commitment to excellence can deliver,” he said.

He explained that the crossing removes a long-standing bottleneck that had delayed full activation of the pipeline system, stressing that it now strengthens supply reliability for power generation and industrial use across the country.

According to him, the achievement builds on lessons from earlier complex projects, including the AKK River Niger crossing completed in 2025. He said the experience helped NNPC teams improve execution capacity and project coordination on a larger scale.

“This achievement is not incidental. It is the result of deliberately leveraging and upscaling our engineering and execution excellence through rigorous project governance and innovative engineering solutions,” Ojulari said.

He also credited the Federal Government for creating an enabling environment for the project to progress, particularly under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s gas development agenda aimed at expanding domestic energy use and industrial growth.

The OB3 pipeline is a key part of Nigeria’s national gas network, designed to connect eastern gas fields to western industrial hubs and improve nationwide energy distribution. With the River Niger crossing completed, NNPC says the system is now closer to full integration.

In practical terms, the company expects the project to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas supply in the short term, boosting electricity generation, supporting manufacturing, and strengthening regional gas trade.

NNPC also highlighted the role of host communities and contractors, noting that cooperation and technical discipline were central to delivering the project safely and on schedule.

With this milestone, attention is now shifting to how quickly the rest of the OB3 infrastructure can be fully commissioned, as Nigeria continues to push for higher gas production and improved energy security targets toward 2030.