The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced its ambition to raise crude oil production from the current 1.7 million barrels per day to an impressive 3 million barrels per day.
This announcement was made by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, during a Stakeholders Engagement Session with journalists covering the National Assembly on Saturday.
Soneye emphasized that the goal is achievable, attributing this optimism to the political will demonstrated by President Bola Tinubu, who has issued directives to relevant security agencies to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
“Three million barrels of oil production per day is achievable in Nigeria if all stakeholders work in synergy—from government and private security agencies to oil companies and host communities,” Soneye declared.
He further explained that recent efforts to tackle oil theft and vandalism have already led to an increase in daily oil production, rising from 1.4 million to the current 1.7 million barrels per day. “At one point, oil production had plummeted to 900,000 barrels per day.
We felt Nigeria was in trouble regarding oil theft, but the intensified fight against it has alleviated our concerns,” Soneye added, highlighting the critical role played by private security agencies and renewed military efforts in addressing this issue.
The session also included a presentation by Murtala Muhammad, Deputy Manager at the NNPC Command and Control Centre, who shed light on the ongoing issue of crude oil theft and its severe economic impact on Nigeria.
According to Muhammad, “Over 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections have been detected and destroyed in the last six months.” He identified Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia as the primary hotspots for this criminal activity.
In a separate presentation titled “Balancing Reporting and Nation Building: The Role of the National Assembly Press Corps,” Professor Taiye Obateru emphasized the importance of fairness and national interest in all journalistic endeavors.
He encouraged journalists to maintain a balance between reporting and nation-building, underscoring their role in shaping public perception.
Soneye concluded the session by expressing confidence that with a collaborative effort against oil theft and pipeline vandalism, an enabling environment could be created to support optimal oil production levels of 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day.
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