The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has completed the long-awaited River Niger crossing of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure development.
The breakthrough, executed through its subsidiary NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company, involved drilling about two kilometres beneath the River Niger using advanced horizontal directional drilling technology, enabling the activation of the full 130-kilometre OB3 pipeline network.
According to NNPC, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, significantly boosting supply to power plants, industries, and export markets. In the near term, it is expected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas for domestic use.
Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari described the achievement as a turning point for Nigeria’s gas expansion agenda, noting that it will enhance energy reliability, strengthen industrial growth, and improve power generation capacity nationwide.
He added that the project aligns with the Federal Government’s broader energy ambitions, including increased oil and gas production targets under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The OB3 pipeline is a key component of Nigeria’s national gas master plan, designed to link eastern gas fields with western and northern demand centres, improving domestic supply and reducing long-standing transmission bottlenecks.
Industry experts say the completion of the River Niger crossing brings Nigeria closer to achieving a fully integrated gas network, with potential benefits for electricity generation, industrialisation, and regional energy exports across West Africa.
