The NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NNPC Limited, has announced the successful completion of the technologically complex River Niger Crossing for the 130-kilometre, $700 million Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline. This achievement marks a pivotal milestone in Nigeria's decade-long effort, which commenced in 2016, to significantly expand its national gas transmission network and enhance energy infrastructure. The crossing, executed approximately two kilometres beneath the River Niger riverbed, required advanced horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology, a feat delivered through the diligent collaboration of the NNPC project team and PCE Nig. Limited.

The successful completion of this critical section unlocks the full potential of the OB3 Pipeline, which is designed to transport an impressive 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. This strategic infrastructure is set to dramatically strengthen energy availability across Nigeria, enhance supply reliability, and accelerate national economic development by deepening domestic gas utilization. It forms a crucial backbone gas infrastructure, effectively linking Nigeria’s Eastern gas network to the Western network, and extending vital connectivity to the Northern corridor via the already established AKK Pipeline.

Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, lauded the milestone as a testament to disciplined execution and unwavering technical excellence. He emphasized that successfully traversing one of the project’s most technically challenging sections establishes a critical link vital for bolstering gas supply reliability, promoting domestic gas usage, and significantly supporting power generation and industrial growth throughout the country. Mr. Ojulari highlighted that this achievement builds upon NNPC Limited's expanding engineering and execution capabilities, leveraging insights and expertise gained from the successful AKK River Niger Crossing completed earlier, in June last year.

"This achievement is not incidental," Mr. Ojulari stated, attributing the success to deliberate leveraging and upscaling of AKK engineering and execution excellence through rigorous project governance, innovative engineering solutions, adaptive problem-solving, and the steadfast commitment of both NNPC teams and PCE Nig. Limited. He reiterated the central role of the OB3 Pipeline in NNPC's ambition to construct an integrated and resilient gas network crucial for Nigeria's energy security and sustained economic development.

The GCEO also acknowledged the indispensable support from key stakeholders, including the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu's Gas-to-Prosperity agenda, whose commitment to a conducive business environment was instrumental. He extended appreciation to the NNPC Board of Directors, led by Chairman Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, as well as the host community for their consistent support, NGIC management and staff for their doggedness, and PCE Nig. Limited for their professionalism and innovative approach.

In the near term, this successful crossing is projected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of incremental gas supply for the domestic market, providing significant impetus for power generation, industrial expansion, and facilitating gas supply to the broader West African market. This strategic development also aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s ambitious oil and gas production growth targets of 3 million barrels of crude oil per day and 12 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day by 2030, ensuring Nigeria’s gas-producing regions are now physically interconnected with the rest of the nation. NNPC Limited reaffirms its national mandate to translate Nigeria’s abundant oil and gas resources into an improved standard of living for all citizens, pledging continued collaboration to deliver projects that expand energy availability, stimulate industrialisation, and enhance the overall wellbeing of Nigerians.