The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Gas Infrastructure Company has announced the successful completion of the River Niger Crossing on the 130-kilometre Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline, marking a major milestone in the expansion of Nigeria’s gas transmission network.
The NGIC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NNPC Limited, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday (today) by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.
According to the statement, the successful crossing unlocks the full capacity of the OB3 Pipeline, a strategic project designed to transport up to two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
The company noted that upon full completion, the pipeline would significantly enhance energy availability, improve supply reliability, and drive national economic development.
The River Niger Crossing, executed approximately two kilometres beneath the riverbed, is considered one of the most technically challenging aspects of the project.
It was delivered by the NNPC project team in collaboration with PCE Nig. Limited, using advanced horizontal directional drilling technology.
‘Defining Milestone’ – Ojulari
Commending the achievement, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described it as a landmark accomplishment.
“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.
“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 utilisation, and support power generation and industrial growth across the country.”
Ojulari noted that the milestone builds on the company’s growing engineering capabilities, referencing the earlier completion of the AKK River Niger Crossing in June 2025.
“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,” he said.
He added that the OB3 Pipeline remains central to NNPC’s goal of developing an integrated and resilient gas network.
The NNPC boss also commended the Federal Government and other stakeholders for their support in achieving the milestone.
“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of the Federal Government under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose Gas-to-Prosperity agenda and commitment to a conducive business environment have been instrumental in making this achievement possible,” he said.
“NNPC Limited could also not have achieved this feat without the trust and guidance of its Board of Directors, under the leadership of our Chairman, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida.”
Reaffirming the company’s mandate, Ojulari said NNPC Limited remains committed to leveraging Nigeria’s oil and gas resources for national development.
“At NNPC Limited, we remain fully committed to translating Nigeria’s oil and gas resources into a better standard of living for all citizens. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to deliver projects that expand energy availability, stimulate industrialisation, and improve the overall well-being of Nigerians,” he added.
He also appreciated the host communities and the NGIC staff for their support and dedication.
The NNPC chief highlighted the strategic importance of the project in meeting the Federal Government’s production targets of three million barrels of crude oil per day and 12 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day by 2030.
He noted that the successful crossing now physically connects Nigeria’s gas-producing regions with other parts of the country.
The OB3 Pipeline serves as a backbone infrastructure linking the Eastern and Western gas networks and extending supply to the Northern corridor through the AKK Pipeline.
In the near term, the project is expected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas supply for the domestic market, supporting power generation, industrial growth, and exports to the West African market.
