FG targets oil theft through youth engagement, community development

Nigeria's Federal Government is intensifying efforts to protect its vital oil and gas infrastructure by strengthening collaboration between the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Federal Ministry of Defence. This partnership will combine security measures with community engagement and non-kinetic interventions to combat crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

“

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Federal Ministry of Defence have agreed to deepen collaboration on the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure through non-kinetic interventions aimed at enhancing production stability and community engagement.

The move comes as Nigeria experiences renewed optimism in its upstream petroleum sector, with crude oil production gradually recovering after years of significant losses. The NUPRC reported that production reached nearly 1.8 million barrels per day last month, a benefit attributed to coordinated efforts by security agencies, regulators, and industry operators.

Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the NUPRC Chief Executive, emphasized that sustaining these gains requires even stronger partnerships. She highlighted the need for enhanced security assurances to ramp up production, improve revenue, and attract investment. Eyesan also stressed the importance of deploying advanced technologies for monitoring the widespread oil and gas facilities across the country.

“

Today, we are benefiting from those efforts. Last month, we recorded production of nearly 1.8 million barrels per day throughout the month.

Both institutions agreed to deepen their cooperation in safeguarding critical infrastructure while promoting peace and stability in host communities. The NUPRC stated that the collaboration aims to enhance production stability and foster community engagement, recognizing that effective crime-fighting depends on mutual trust and confidence between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

“

As we look to the future, we desire to grow production and must have assurances that security threats can be effectively managed. We can only achieve this through stronger collaboration with security agencies and industry stakeholders.