Nigeria Reduces Crude Oil Theft Through Security Collaboration, Says NNPCL CEO
Nigeria’s crude oil industry has long faced theft, with international syndicates exploiting security gaps in the Niger Delta, according to Bashir Ojulari, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Speaking at the Africa Chief of Defence Staff Conference in Abuja, Ojulari emphasized that collaboration between government agencies has helped curb oil theft and ensure full remittance of crude oil revenues.
He noted that crude theft and related illegal activities are not merely local issues; sophisticated international groups exploit weaknesses in national, regional, and continental security systems to carry out their operations.
Ojulari highlighted that intensified efforts by security agencies have significantly reduced crude theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
He stressed that security is a critical component of the energy sector and plays a strategic role in achieving energy security objectives across Nigeria and Africa.
As the head of Africa’s largest national oil company, Ojulari has witnessed firsthand how collaboration in the energy sector strengthens the operating environment.
He pointed out that deliberate and sustained government interventions, particularly in the Niger Delta, have mitigated the impacts of crude theft, pipeline downtime, and attacks on facilities.
Ojulari proudly stated that crude oil receipts at pipelines and terminals are now approaching full capacity thanks to the combined efforts of security forces and intelligence agencies.
He added that industry-wide cooperation has drastically reduced sabotage, vandalism, illegal refineries, illegal bunkering, and piracy.
Finally, Ojulari explained that initiatives like this conference aim to expand security frameworks regionally and continentally, integrating tools, policies, and technologies to enable seamless cross-border collaboration in the energy sector.
