Frazimex Engineering Limited, a subsidiary of Oilserv Group, says sections of the Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) gas pipeline are currently transporting about 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd), marking a significant step in strengthening Nigeria’s domestic gas supply network.
Managing Director of Frazimex Engineering Ltd., Mr. Chuka Eze, disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of the just-concluded Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 in Abuja, themed “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing our Shared Future.”
Eze explained that the OB3 pipeline, a 48-inch, 124-kilometre line connected to a gas processing facility has the capacity to treat up to two billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, positioning it as a critical artery for Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.
“Sections of the project constructed by the Oilserv Group have been commissioned and are currently flowing about 300 million standard cubic feet per day,” he said, adding that gas from the pipeline would eventually feed into the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) pipeline corridor once final back-end works and system integrations are completed.
Providing an update on the AKK project, Eze revealed that 100 per cent of the mainline welding was completed in December 2025, describing the milestone as a major advancement toward expanding gas distribution across northern Nigeria.
He also highlighted other strategic projects delivered by the group, including the Assa North–Ohaji South (ANOH) gas development, which features a 36-inch, 23-kilometre pipeline and manifold commissioned in May 2025 and currently supplying gas to Seplat.
Addressing concerns about local expertise, Eze dismissed doubts over Nigeria’s technical capacity, noting that detailed engineering for both the AKK and ANOH projects was executed entirely by Nigerian professionals.
According to him, more than 200 multidisciplinary engineers worked on the AKK design, demonstrating that in-country expertise can successfully deliver complex energy infrastructure.
Despite Nigeria’s vast gas reserves estimated at over 210 trillion cubic feet, Eze expressed concern that access to gas for power generation and industrial use remains limited, largely due to execution gaps, inadequate investment and slow infrastructure delivery.
“The gas that will drive industrialisation is not the gas still underground. It is the gas that has been extracted, processed and transported to where it is needed,” he said, calling for urgent upstream investment backed by funding, infrastructure development and viable markets.
He stressed that while Nigeria has multiple gas-focused policies, including the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, the priority should now shift from policy formulation to decisive implementation.
Eze identified gas pricing as a major deterrent to investment, noting that investors require clarity on expected returns before committing capital.
However, he expressed optimism that reforms were underway, revealing that discussions at the Gas Master Plan session suggest a new pricing framework could emerge in the coming weeks.
On community relations, Eze said Oilserv had adopted an inclusive approach by integrating host communities into project execution through training, employment and service provision.
The AKK project alone, he noted, engaged over 100 communities, with locals trained in welding and technical skills to promote ownership and reduce conflict.
Acknowledging financing challenges across the sector, he said the company had expanded beyond traditional Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracting to offer EPCIC+F, Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) models to support project developers.
Eze added that Oilserv operates a structured graduate development programme that recruits 20 young engineers annually into a two-year training cycle aimed at building sustainable local capacity.
“Our belief is that Nigerians and Africans must be equipped to deliver these critical projects and export that expertise beyond our borders,” he said.