By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has recorded a major milestone with the successful implementation of the River Niger crossing on the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline, a development that significantly advances Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and energy distribution network.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, in a statement on Thursday, said the achievement, executed by the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), marks the completion of one of the most technically challenging segments of the 130-kilometre pipeline project.

The crossing, constructed approximately two kilometres beneath the River Niger using advanced horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology, effectively unlocks the full capacity of the OB3 pipeline, which is designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.

The OB3 pipeline itself has a long development history, conceived as a strategic backbone project to bridge Nigeria’s eastern and western gas networks. Initiated over a decade ago under the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the project faced multiple delays due to funding constraints, technical complexities—particularly around the River Niger crossing—and security concerns in parts of the Niger Delta. Over time, it evolved into a priority national infrastructure under successive administrations, forming a key part of Nigeria’s gas master plan and its push toward a more integrated and resilient domestic gas grid.

With the successful crossing now completed, Nigeria’s eastern and western gas networks are fully interconnected, strengthening supply reliability and enhancing domestic gas utilisation.

The project is also expected to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of incremental gas supply in the near term, supporting power generation, industrial expansion, and broader economic growth.

Speaking on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr Bayo Ojulari, described the development as a defining milestone for the country’s gas infrastructure, noting that it reflects disciplined execution and technical excellence.

He added that the project builds on previous engineering successes, including the AKK River Niger crossing completed in 2025, and demonstrates the company’s growing capacity to deliver complex energy infrastructure.

The OB3 pipeline serves as a critical backbone linking key gas-producing regions across the country and extending connectivity to the northern corridor through the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline. By enabling seamless gas transmission across regions, the infrastructure is expected to deepen domestic supply, reduce flaring, and support Nigeria’s long-term energy security goals.

He commended President Bola Tinubu as well as project partners and host communities for their role in delivering the milestone.

The successful implementation of the River Niger crossing aligns with the government’s broader target of increasing gas production to 12 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030, while positioning Nigeria as a stronger player in both domestic and regional energy markets.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has used MTN Nigeria Communications Plc as a case study in a report on gender equality in the workplace.

According to the IFC publication, MTN Nigeria built on its existing diversity and inclusion framework by adopting a more structured and data-driven approach to gender equality.

With IFC’s advisory support, the company undertook diagnostics to identify gaps, introduced targeted policies, and aligned its practices with global standards.

A major milestone outlined in the report is MTN Nigeria’s attainment of the EDGE MOVE certification in 2023, a globally recognised benchmark for workplace equity.

This achievement made it the first wireless telecommunications company in Africa and the second organisation in Sub-Saharan Africa to reach this level, reflecting progress across leadership representation, pay equity, organisational culture, and flexible work policies.

The case study also details a range of initiatives implemented by the company, including targeted recruitment and promotion of women, strengthened mentorship programmes, expanded parental leave policies, and deliberate efforts to increase the participation of women-led businesses within its value chain.

These actions contributed to measurable improvements in female representation, including achieving gender balance at the executive level.

The chief executive of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, in the case study, was quoted as saying, “A diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce is critical to the success and sustainability of our business.

“We are committed to promoting gender inclusiveness, equality, and empowerment internally as well as across our ecosystem to ensure that interventions are holistic and position women to thrive effortlessly.

“If we must narrow the gender gap and address the disproportionate representation of women in the private sector, I believe that business leaders and CEOs must disproportionately allocate resources to support women across all levels.”

MTN Nigeria is one of the leading companies advancing gender equality through practical, business-led actions under its Nigeria2Equal programme.

The telco has become a top performer in workplace gender equality following its participation in the programme between 2021 and 2023, moving from 13th position to become the top-performing organisation from the 30 most capitalised companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

The report was based on an independent assessment conducted by Equileap and verified by PwC.

Implemented in partnership with the NGX, the Nigeria2Equal programme is designed to reduce gender gaps across leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s private sector.

MTN Nigeria joined the initiative in 2021, making commitments across these areas while strengthening its broader advocacy for gender equality. It has expanded its role in advancing gender equality through advocacy and transparency, becoming a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles and now reports gender-focused initiatives and targets in its annual disclosures.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) on Thursday announced the official go-live of Rev360, its next-generation tax administration platform, marking a major step in the agency’s digital transformation drive aimed at improving revenue collection, enhancing taxpayer experience, and strengthening compliance monitoring.

The platform is designed to streamline end-to-end tax processes, including registration, filing, payment, and audit, while providing real-time data analytics to support more efficient decision-making.

Rev360 is the agency’s latest effort to reduce manual bottlenecks, curb leakages, and broaden Nigeria’s tax net by integrating multiple taxpayer databases into a unified system.

In a statement on Thursday, titled Nigeria Revenue Service Launches Rev360, Marking Transition to Tax Administration 3.0, it was stated that the platform will be implemented in phases, beginning with medium and emerging taxpayers, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s tax system.

As the NRS is transitioning from manual and digitised processes to a fully integrated, intelligent, and taxpayer-centric system, it explained that Rev360 builds on previous advancements in digital tax administration and introduces a more seamless, transparent, and efficient approach to managing tax obligations.

Commenting on the significance of the launch, the chairman of NRS, Mr Zacch Adedeji, stated: “Rev360 reflects the service’s commitment to building a tax system that works seamlessly for every Nigerian, strengthens trust in public institutions, and supports the growth of our economy.

“This is about creating a future where tax administration is not a burden, but an enabler of national development.”

The NRS added that it successfully completed a comprehensive nationwide readiness programme designed to prepare stakeholders across the tax ecosystem ahead of the go-live.

The service noted that the aforementioned efforts are aimed at ensuring that taxpayers, consultants, and all users of the platform are not only aware of Rev360 but are also fully prepared and supported in its use.

However, the Service added that “the transition to Rev360 will be implemented in phases, beginning with medium and emerging taxpayers, and subsequently extending to government and large taxpayers, ensuring a structured and effective rollout.”

“The platform is expected to improve compliance, strengthen revenue administration, and enhance the overall taxpayer experience,” the service added.

With the rollout, the NRS said it expects to boost transparency, simplify interactions for individuals and businesses, and align Nigeria’s tax administration framework with global best practices in digital governance.