The NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has successfully completed the River Niger Crossing of the 130-kilometre Obiafu-ObrikomOben (OB3) Gas Pipeline.
Group Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Bashir Ojulari, who described the milestone in a statement last week as a testament to disciplined execution and technical excellence, said the development marked a major milestone in the expansion of Nigeria’s national gas transmission network.
Ojulari noted that the successful crossing unlocked full potential of the OB3 pipeline. The GCEO described the pipeline as a strategic infrastructure designed to transport two billion standard cubic feet (bscf) of gas daily, strengthening energy availability, supply reliability and accelerating national economic development.
“Executed approximately two kilometres beneath the River Niger riverbed, the technically complex crossing was delivered by the NNPC project team working with PCE Nig. Limited, using advanced Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology,” he said.
Ojulari added that the completion of the OB3 River Niger Crossing was a clear demonstration of what disciplined execution and sustained commitment to excellence could deliver. He said by traversing one of the most technically challenging sections of the project, it had unlocked a critical link for enhancing gas supply reliability, deepened domestic utilisation, and supported power generation and industrial growth.
“The achievement builds on NNPC Limited’s growing engineering and execution capability. “It draws from the successful Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) River Niger crossing in June 2025, to deliver an even more complex crossing in the Niger Delta environment.
“This achievement is not incidental. It is the result of deliberately leveraging and upscaling our AKK engineering and execution excellence. “This is through rigorous project governance, innovative engineering solutions, adaptive problemsolving, and the unwavering commitment of our teams and PCE Nig. Limited,” he said.
Ojulari said the OB3 pipeline was central to the company’s ambition of building an integrated and resilient gas network that underpins Nigeria’s energy security and economic development. “I commend everyone involved for their doggedness and for staying the course to deliver this strategic national asset,” he said.
He further acknowledged the critical support of key stakeholders and continued support of President Bola Tinubu, adding that Tinubu’s Gas-to-Prosperity agenda and commitment to a conducive business environment had been instrumental in making the achievement possible.
