Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the successful completion of a critical section of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline, marking a significant step in expanding Nigeria’s gas transmission network.
In a statement issued on April 30, the company said its subsidiary, the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company, completed the technically complex River Niger crossing, a key component of the 130-kilometre OB3 pipeline project.
The crossing, executed about two kilometres beneath the riverbed using horizontal directional drilling technology, unlocks the pipeline’s full capacity to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, described the development as a major milestone for Nigeria’s energy infrastructure, noting that it would improve gas supply reliability and support power generation and industrial growth.
He said the achievement builds on previous engineering successes, including the AKK River Niger crossing completed in June 2025, and reflects the company’s growing technical capability.
Ojulari also credited the support of the Federal Government under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the guidance of the NNPC board chaired by Ahmadu Musa Kida, for enabling the project.
According to the company, the OB3 pipeline serves as a major link between Nigeria’s eastern and western gas networks and extends supply to the northern corridor through the AKK pipeline.
NNPC said the successful crossing is expected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas supply for the domestic market in the near term, with potential benefits for electricity generation, industrial activities, and regional gas exports.
The firm added that the milestone aligns with the Federal Government’s target of increasing gas production to 12 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030.
