Pipeline Professionals Push for Stronger Infrastructure to Power Nigeria’s Oil, Gas Sector

•Seek floating of national pipeline security coordination council

 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Pipeline Professionals Association of Nigeria (PLAN), Geoff Onuoha, has called for a renewed national commitment to building a robust and well-maintained pipeline system capable of supporting Nigeria’s industrial, energy, and economic growth beyond the ‘Decade of Gas’.

Speaking at the Nigeria International Pipeline Technology and Security Conference (NIPITECS) in Abuja, Onuoha, who is also the Group Chief Executive Officer of BG Technical Limited, stressed that pipelines remain the backbone of Nigeria’s energy and industrial infrastructure, describing them as “super critical” to national development.

Onuoha noted a noticeable decline in pipeline vandalism and urged communities to continue protecting the facilities, warning that sabotage only damages local livelihoods and the environment.

He also praised engineering excellence in Nigeria, citing the complex network of over 100 kilometres of pipelines supporting the Dangote Refinery as an example of local capability and technical innovation.

“Our goal as pipeline professionals is to ensure Nigeria develops a sturdy, safe, and efficiently maintained pipeline network from design to construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning. A robust pipeline system will drive our industries, power generation, and overall social well-being.

“The beauty of pipeline engineering is that it works best when it’s invisible. Our job is to make sure these systems operate quietly and efficiently underground, unseen but indispensable,” he affirmed.

The PLAN chairman emphasised the association’s commitment to promoting professionalism, maintaining industry standards, and advancing local expertise through training, conferences, and technical exchanges.

“Our pipelines are buried, but their importance cannot be buried. They connect everything from energy to power, to industry. Let us build a strong, resilient pipeline network that will energize this country,” he stressed.

For his part, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Umugini Pipeline Infrastructure Limited, Adache Omotosho-Oboro, in his presentation described pipelines as the arteries of the economy, urging the federal government to establish a National Pipeline Security Coordination Council (NPSC) and adopt an integrated data framework that connects all operators.

 “Every company now runs in silos, and the network cannot function unless it is integrated. We need a centralised command centre using digital tools, AI, and satellite data to monitor pipelines nationwide in real time. That is the future of sustainable operations,” he stated.

He emphasised that pipeline vandalism and theft have evolved into technology-enabled crimes, which require intelligence-driven monitoring and stronger legal frameworks. He also called for collaboration among agencies such as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), and host communities to improve surveillance and capacity building.

Omotosho-Oboro urged government and industry players to promote local innovation through incentives and supportive policies. He affirmed that securing the country’s pipelines means securing its economic future.

 “Nigeria must own its model, one that values data sharing, accountability, and national interest over institutional pride. Pipelines are the promise of progress and hope for generations yet unborn. If we protect them, we protect our economy, empower our people, and ensure a prosperous Nigeria,” he argued.

Also speaking,  the Director, Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, stated that investments are ongoing on priority gas projects that can unlock about 4.6 BCF in incremental supply to accelerate Nigeria’s transition into clean energy by 2030.

He stated that while Nigeria is blessed with billions of cubic feet of gas reserves, the full potential of the reserves can only be realised through effective evacuation, distribution and market linkage.

To achieve this, Ubong said pipeline infrastructure is the physical backbone of the decade of gas and serves as a difference between gas in the ground and gas in the economy.

 “Without it, production remains stranded, industries remain under supplied, and our vision of energy-led industrialisation remains deferred. The decade of gas initiative was conceived to reposition gas as a transition fuel that would become the very foundation of our economic transformation.

 “As we progress through this critical decade, the imperative is clear that we must build robust pipeline systems that connect our gas supply to demand, but also connect ambition to opportunities both for this decade and beyond,” he said.

He added that the success of Nigeria’s energy transition depends on the strength, resilience and reliability of pipeline infrastructure as it is the heart of the gas economy.

 “They connect production fields to processing plants, industries, power stations and export terminals. At the upstream end, pipelines connect fields on processing plants, improving flow assurance and encouraging more producers to bring gas to market,” he added.

In his final submission, he stated that the government has given priority to the the Ajaokuta- Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, the OB3 and ELPS expansion to ensure gas from operators get delivered to off-takers in the western and northern parts of the country and beyond.