NNPCL Links production Surge to strengthened pipeline security multi agency collaboration in the Niger Delta
Samuel Jonah | Bayelsa
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said Nigeria’s crude oil production has rebounded significantly, rising from a historic low of 960,000 barrels per day in 2022 to an average of 1.71 million barrels per day, with a peak of 1.84 million barrels per day recorded in 2025, following intensified pipeline security interventions across the Niger Delta region.
It disclosed this at the Parliamentary Roundtable on the State of Pipeline Security held at the National Assembly in Abuja, where the Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, explained that the improvement was driven by deliberate government-backed efforts to secure critical oil infrastructure.
According to a statement by NNPC spokesman, Andy Odeh, Ojulari stated that the rise in production reflected coordinated national actions aimed at curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism through an integrated security framework.
He emphasized that the achievement was not accidental but the result of a multi-layered security architecture combining legislative and executive alignment, intelligence gathering, kinetic deployment, regulatory oversight, industry cooperation, and community-based surveillance systems.
He added that the renewed output levels, driven by improved security coordination and reduced incidents of oil theft, have restored investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, positioning the country for stronger revenue performance.
Ojulari noted that the integrated energy security model deployed in the Niger Delta has proven effective in addressing persistent challenges of pipeline sabotage and crude oil theft, which previously undermined production levels and discouraged investment inflows.
The NNPCL boss further explained that the success recorded was anchored on sustained collaboration between security agencies, regulators, host communities, and industry stakeholders working in synergy to safeguard critical energy infrastructure across producing regions.
We also note that legislative support and executive coordination have strengthened enforcement capacity, enabling rapid response to vandalism incidents and improving transparency in pipeline monitoring operations nationwide.
According to him, the combined effect of these interventions has not only reduced crude oil losses but also improved overall production efficiency, strengthened investor sentiment, and reinforced Nigeria’s position in the global energy market as a reliable supplier, while the government continues to deepen reforms aimed at sustaining security gains and expanding output capacity in the coming years through innovative partnerships and community engagement frameworks.
NNPCL also reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the current production growth trajectory through continuous investment in security technology, data-driven surveillance, and stronger partnerships with local communities to ensure long-term stability of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum operations in the foreseeable energy transition era context.
NNPCL also reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the current production growth trajectory through continuous investment in security technology, data-driven surveillance, and stronger partnerships with local communities to ensure long-term stability of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum operations according to NNPCL statement release.
