Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa, met to enhance collaboration in combating crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria. During the meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Lokpobiri emphasized that addressing these issues would boost oil and gas production, thereby helping Nigeria overcome economic challenges and stabilize its economy.
Lokpobiri highlighted the potential to increase revenue for Nigeria by ramping up oil production and reducing theft and vandalism, noting that the current oil price exceeds $90 per barrel. He also stated that the military should aim to minimize oil theft and pipeline vandalization to the lowest possible level.
The minister expressed optimism that working closely with the military and other agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) would effectively tackle the issues of illegal refining and pipeline vandalization.
He added that once these challenges are addressed, the nation can provide the feedstock (crude oil) needed for domestic refineries and benefit across the entire value chain.
Gen. Musa acknowledged the importance of oil to Nigeria’s economy and pledged the military’s full support for securing the Niger Delta and other oil fields to increase production and protect the nation’s natural resources. He commended the recent improvements in oil production and reduction of illegal refineries and pollution, urging Nigerians to cooperate with the government and security forces to harness the nation’s resources.
