The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has finished the River Niger crossing on the Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) gas pipeline, a major step expected to improve gas supply across Nigeria.

The crossing, handled by the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company, involved drilling under the River Niger using advanced engineering methods to connect key sections of the pipeline that had been separated for years.

With this completion, the 130-kilometre OB3 pipeline can now operate at its full design capacity of about 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. The company also expects an immediate increase of over 500 million standard cubic feet of gas available for local use.

NNPC said the project will improve electricity generation, support industries, and strengthen gas supply reliability across the country. It also reduces long-standing bottlenecks that limited gas movement between eastern production areas and western demand centres.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, described the development as an important milestone for Nigeria’s gas expansion plan. He said the success shows progress in building a more connected national gas network that supports power supply and industrial growth.
He added that the achievement builds on earlier pipeline crossing experience from the AKK project, which helped improve technical execution on difficult terrain.

According to NNPC, the completion also supports government plans to increase energy production and improve access to gas nationwide. The company said it will continue working with partners to expand infrastructure and improve supply stability.

The OB3 pipeline is a key part of Nigeria’s gas network plan, designed to move gas from producing areas in the east to major consumption zones in the west and north