The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced on Saturday that it is optimistic about raising Nigeria’s crude oil production to 3 million barrels per day from the current level of 1.7 million. The declaration was made during a Stakeholders Engagement Session held in Abuja with journalists covering the National Assembly.
Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, stated that achieving the 3 million barrels per day target is possible with cooperation from all key stakeholders, including security agencies, oil companies, and host communities. He noted that President Bola Tinubu has already provided the political will to address the issue, giving directives to security agencies to curb oil theft and pipeline vandalism. These efforts have contributed to increasing production from 1.4 million to 1.7 million barrels per day.
“Producing 3 million barrels of oil per day is attainable in Nigeria if all stakeholders work together—from government and private security agencies to oil companies and local communities,” Soneye said. He highlighted the need for synergy in the ongoing fight against oil theft and vandalism to create a conducive environment for optimal production, targeting 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day.
Soneye also referenced a period when Nigeria’s oil production plummeted to 900,000 barrels per day, attributing the subsequent recovery to intensified efforts by both private security firms and the military.
In a separate presentation, NNPCL’s Deputy Manager of Command and Control Centre, Murtala Muhammad, stressed that oil theft remains a significant problem, with over 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 unauthorized pipeline connections dismantled in the past six months. He identified Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia as hotspots for oil theft.
Meanwhile, Professor Taiye Obateru, in a paper titled “Balancing Reporting and Nation Building: The Role of the National Assembly Press Corps,” urged the media to prioritize fairness and national interest in their reporting.
