The NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NNPC Limited, announced on Thursday that it has completed the River Niger crossing of the 130‑kilometre Obiafu‑Obrikom‑Oben (OB3) gas pipeline. The crossing, carried out about two kilometres below the riverbed, unlocks the full capacity of the pipeline, which is designed to transport up to two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
The project was executed by the NNPC project team in partnership with PCE Nig. Limited, using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology to overcome the technical challenges posed by the Niger Delta environment. The successful completion follows the AKK River Niger crossing in June 2025 and demonstrates the company’s growing engineering and execution capability.
Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, described the milestone as a “defining moment” for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure, emphasizing that it enhances supply reliability, deepens domestic gas utilisation, and supports power generation and industrial growth. He credited disciplined execution, rigorous project governance, innovative engineering solutions and the commitment of NGIC staff and PCE Nig. Limited.
The government’s support was also highlighted. Ojulari thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Gas‑to‑Prosperity” agenda and the Board of Directors, led by Chairman Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, for their guidance. He reiterated NNPC’s mandate to convert the country’s oil and gas resources into improved living standards and to expand energy availability, industrialisation and overall well‑being for Nigerians.
With the OB3 pipeline now physically linked to the Eastern, Western and Northern gas networks via the AKK pipeline, the crossing ensures that Nigeria’s gas‑producing regions are interconnected with the rest of the country. In the short term, the project is expected to add more than 500 million standard cubic feet of gas to the domestic market, bolstering power generation, industrial activity and export capacity to the West African region.
The achievement aligns with federal targets to raise production to 3 million barrels of crude oil per day and 12 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day by 2030. NGIC’s completion of the River Niger crossing marks a significant step toward a resilient, integrated national gas transmission network that underpins Nigeria’s energy security and economic development.
