The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has recorded a significant breakthrough in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure development with the successful completion of the River Niger Crossing on the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline Project.
The feat, executed by the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NNPC Ltd, marks a critical milestone in the ongoing expansion and integration of Nigeria’s national gas transmission network aimed at boosting energy security, industrialisation, and economic growth.
The 130-kilometre OB3 Gas Pipeline, designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, is regarded as one of the country’s most strategic gas infrastructure projects.
The successful River Niger Crossing now unlocks the full operational potential of the pipeline, ensuring improved gas supply reliability and enhanced connectivity between major gas-producing regions across the country.
The technically demanding crossing was successfully executed approximately two kilometres beneath the River Niger riverbed using advanced Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology by the NNPC project team in collaboration with PCE Nig. Limited.
Speaking on the landmark achievement, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the successful crossing as a defining moment in Nigeria’s quest to build a robust and integrated gas network capable of driving sustainable national development.
According to him, the completion of the crossing demonstrates the company’s commitment to technical excellence, disciplined project execution, and innovative engineering solutions.
“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.
By successfully traversing one of the most technically challenging sections of the project, we have unlocked a critical link that will enhance gas supply reliability, deepen domestic gas utilisation, and support power generation and industrial growth across the country,” he stated.
Engr. Ojulari further noted that the achievement builds upon the engineering expertise and execution capacity earlier demonstrated during the successful AKK River Niger Crossing completed in June 2025.
He explained that lessons learned from the AKK project significantly enhanced NNPC Ltd’s ability to deliver the more technically complex OB3 crossing within the challenging Niger Delta terrain.
“This achievement is not incidental. It is the result of deliberately leveraging and upscaling our AKK engineering and execution excellence through rigorous project governance, innovative engineering solutions, adaptive problem-solving, and the unwavering commitment of our teams and PCE Nig. Limited,” the GCEO added.
He emphasized that the OB3 Pipeline remains central to NNPC Ltd’s broader ambition of building an integrated and resilient gas network that will support Nigeria’s energy transition agenda, strengthen domestic gas utilisation, and stimulate industrial expansion.
The NNPC boss also commended the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for providing the enabling environment through its Gas-to-Prosperity agenda, which continues to drive investments and reforms in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
He equally appreciated the Board of Directors of NNPC Ltd, led by Chairman Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, for their strategic guidance and unwavering support towards the successful execution of the project.
Reaffirming the company’s commitment to national development, Engr. Ojulari stressed that NNPC Ltd remains focused on translating Nigeria’s vast hydrocarbon resources into tangible socio-economic benefits for citizens through strategic infrastructure projects capable of expanding energy access, creating jobs, and accelerating industrialisation.
The GCEO also expressed gratitude to host communities for their cooperation and support throughout the project lifecycle, while applauding the management and staff of NGIC, as well as PCE Nig. Limited, for their professionalism, resilience, and technical competence.
Industry analysts believe the successful River Niger Crossing represents a major leap forward in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure ambitions, particularly against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s target to increase crude oil production to 3 million barrels per day and gas production to 12 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030.
The OB3 Pipeline serves as a critical backbone infrastructure connecting the Eastern gas network to the Western network while also extending connectivity to Northern Nigeria through the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline corridor.
In the immediate term, the successful completion of the crossing is expected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of incremental gas supply for the domestic market, thereby supporting electricity generation, industrial operations, and gas export opportunities within the West African sub-region.
The milestone further reinforces Nigeria’s position as a leading gas producer in Africa and underscores NNPC Ltd’s strategic role in advancing the nation’s energy security and economic transformation agenda.
