The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has confirmed an explosion at its key Escravos – Lagos pipeline on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The incident, which occurred near Tebijor, Okpele, and Ikpopo communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, disrupted operations and prompted an emergency response.
This disclosure is contained in a statement titled, ‘Breach on Escravos–Lagos Pipeline’, issued by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, Andy Odeh, on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
Odeh said initial observations showed that a pressure drop on the affected line consistent with a loss of containment on a pipeline operated by NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC).
Detailed Investigation
The Spokesperson for the state-owned energy giant noted that the cause of the explosion will be confirmed after a detailed investigation has been concluded.
Odeh said, ‘’NNPC Limited confirms an incident involving an explosion reported at about 17:50 hours on 10th December 2025 near Tebijor, Okpele, and Ikpopo communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State.
‘’Initial observations indicate a pressure drop consistent with a loss of containment on an NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) pipeline. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, but would be confirmed after a detailed investigation has been concluded. Our priority at this time is the safety of nearby communities and the protection of the environment.
‘’Emergency response procedures have been activated, and we are working closely with relevant authorities and community leaders to ensure a coordinated approach to mitigate the impact.
‘’NNPC Limited remains committed to the highest safety and environmental standards. Further updates will be provided as more confirmed information becomes available.’’
What you should know
The Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System is a natural gas pipeline built in 1989 to supply gas from Escravos region of the Niger Delta area to the Egbin power station near Lagos in Nigeria.
The pipeline starts at Escravos Gas Plant operated by Chevron, which has 680 million cubic feet per day (19 million cubic metres per day) capacity.
Although the line starts at NGC’s gas treatment plant in Warri, piped gas originates from Chevron’s Escravos gas plant in Delta State. It supplies gas to power plants in the South-west and also feeds the West African Gas Pipeline System, which is a component of the larger Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline.
In a related development, in March 2025, an explosion was reported at Nigeria’s major crude oil pipeline, the Trans-Niger Pipeline at Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The explosion was reported to have triggered a fire along a critical section of the pipeline that exports crude oil to the Bonny Terminal.
