The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has revealed that Nigeria’s crude oil pipeline and terminal receipts are now close to 100 per cent, following enhanced security operations.
Speaking at the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit on Monday, Ojulari said crude oil receipts, which had previously dropped as low as 30 per cent due to rampant theft, had now risen significantly. He credited the turnaround to the joint efforts of security and intelligence agencies across the country, particularly in the Niger Delta.
“We have seen the benefits of collaboration in the security space, with marked improvement in our operating environment. Pipeline attacks and crude theft, which once devastated operations, are becoming a thing of the past,” he stated.
Ojulari praised the professionalism and discipline of Nigeria’s defence and security forces, stressing that their role was pivotal in restoring stability. He, however, warned that crude theft was driven not only by local actors but also by international syndicates exploiting security gaps.
He urged African governments to adopt a united front in tackling the menace, noting that illegal oil activities were cross-border operations requiring coordinated regional responses. “Africa must take its destiny into its hands and chart a collective way forward,” he said.
The NNPC chief reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting intelligence and security agencies while advocating broader continental collaboration to combat sabotage, illegal refineries, and crude bunkering.
Ojulari assured that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector would continue to complement continental security efforts, creating an enabling environment for peace and prosperity.
His remarks came as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) reported that the country’s crude oil output grew in July 2025, averaging 1.71 million barrels per day.