NNPC finishes River Niger section of OB3 pipeline

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says it has completed the River Niger crossing of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline project, describing it as a major milestone for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure development.

NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, announced the development on Thursday, noting that the pipeline crossing was executed about 2 kilometres beneath the riverbed using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology.

He said the achievement unlocks a transportation capacity of about 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, which is expected to strengthen electricity generation, industrial supply, and overall energy security in the country.

Ojulari explained that the development builds on earlier progress made on the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, adding that both projects are central to expanding Nigeria’s domestic gas network.

He said the OB3 pipeline is designed to connect gas-producing regions in the eastern corridor to markets in the west, while also linking the northern corridor through the AKK pipeline.

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According to him, the integrated gas network will enable the supply of gas to power plants, fertiliser plants, manufacturing industries, and other industrial users across multiple states, including Kaduna and Kano.

The NNPC chief attributed the success of the project to engineering expertise, operational discipline, and collaboration with contractors and host communities.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as the administration’s “Gas-to-Prosperity” agenda, which he said is aimed at leveraging natural gas for economic diversification, job creation, and industrial expansion.