The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said that Nigeria’s oil and gas pipelines would soon attain 100 per cent capacity utilisation, as nearly all pipeline theft has been eliminated following coordinated efforts by the country’s defence and intelligence agencies.
The group chief executive officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, made this known at the opening ceremony of the maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit on Monday in Abuja.
He stated that three years ago, as little as 30 per cent of oil sent through some pipelines made it to Nigeria’s export terminals, costing the government billions in lost revenue and delaying investment.
‘Today, I can proudly report that our pipeline and terminal receipts are attaining close to 100 per cent’, Ojulari told a regional security forum in Abuja.
According to him, the turnaround was the result of a deliberate and sustained partnership between the oil and gas industry and Nigeria’s defence and security institutions.
‘Not too long ago, our crude oil receipts through pipelines and terminals had dropped dangerously low — sometimes to as little as 20 to 30 per cent. That was a period when pipeline vandalism, crude theft, illegal refineries, and sabotage became rampant’.
But due to the professionalism, discipline, and collaborative spirit of the security and intelligence agencies — particularly in stabilising the Niger Delta — the problem has been curtailed, he said.
Ojulari explained that the national oil company had directly witnessed the impact of military operations, intelligence-driven interventions, and joint patrols in securing critical energy infrastructure.
‘These successes would not have been possible without the immense and intentional efforts of our government, the armed forces, and our intelligence community.
‘Their sacrifices have created the enabling environment for oil and gas operations to thrive once again’, he said.
Ojulari also stressed that threats to energy infrastructure were not confined to local actors.
According to him, oil theft involves sophisticated international syndicates that exploit gaps in the national, regional, and continental security architecture to conduct illicit operations.
He therefore called for greater regional and continental cooperation, noting that energy security must be treated as a shared strategic priority.
‘It is therefore imperative that forums such as this summit are encouraged, with a view to strengthening strategic, tactical, and operational collaboration within the continent.
‘Together, we can safeguard Africa’s resources, reinforce peace, and create an enabling environment for prosperity for our people’, he added.
Ojulari reaffirmed NNPCL’s commitment to supporting the military and intelligence agencies, stressing that the oil and gas sector in Nigeria would continue to complement continental defence initiatives.
‘At NNPC Limited, we hold this partnership in the highest regard.
‘We stand ready to complement and cooperate with defence and security institutions — not just for Nigeria’s sake, but for Africa’s collective growth and stability’, he said.
He noted that security had been improved, particularly within the Niger Delta, where most of the country’s oil infrastructure is located.
As the improved security bolsters Nigeria’s overall oil output and the country seeks to accelerate approval for new projects, the national oil regulator projected at an oil conference last week that Nigeria’s output could surpass 2.5 million barrels per day next year.
Nigeria’s oil production was last close to 2.5 million barrels per day in 2005, before militancy in the Niger Delta reduced output to 1 million bpd by 2016.
In 2021, Nigeria began hiring private security firms to complement the national security organisations in managing pipeline security.
