The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reached a major milestone in the country’s energy infrastructure with the successful completion of the River Niger crossing on the 130-kilometre Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline.
In a statement released on Thursday, the company said the feat was delivered through its subsidiary, the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company, marking a significant step in strengthening Nigeria’s gas network.
The OB3 pipeline, designed with a capacity of two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, serves as a critical link between the eastern and western gas systems. It also extends connectivity toward the northern corridor through the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, forming a key part of the country’s broader gas distribution framework.
According to NNPC, the successful River Niger crossing is expected to boost gas supply in the short term by unlocking over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas for domestic use. This increase is projected to support power generation, drive industrial growth, and enhance gas exports within the West African region.
NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the development as a landmark achievement, noting that it reflects the company’s growing technical strength and commitment to delivering complex infrastructure projects.
He explained that navigating the River Niger section—one of the most challenging parts of the project—demonstrates the company’s capacity to execute large-scale engineering works, even in difficult terrains like the Niger Delta.
Ojulari added that the milestone builds on previous successes, including the AKK River Niger crossing completed in 2025, and further reinforces NNPC’s ambition to improve gas supply reliability, expand domestic utilisation, and support economic growth through energy development.
