Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has revealed a substantial rise in the nation's crude oil output. He stated that production has climbed from a historic low of 960,000 barrels per day in 2022 to an average of 1.71 million barrels per day and reached a peak of 1.84 million barrels per day in 2025. This improvement is largely credited to the implementation of an integrated energy security model for pipelines in the Niger Delta.
Ojulari shared these insights during the Parliamentary Roundtable on the State of Pipelines Security, which took place in Abuja on Wednesday at the National Assembly. Concurrently, members of the National Assembly passed a vote of confidence in Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, reaffirming its crucial role in pipeline surveillance and the protection of national assets.
Explaining the success of the security initiative, Ojulari highlighted that it was not a spontaneous achievement. Instead, it resulted from a comprehensive approach involving synergy between legislative and executive policies, effective intelligence gathering, robust deployment capabilities, regulatory oversight, industry collaboration, and community-based surveillance strategies.
In a statement released by NNPC's Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, Ojulari further explained that the recovery in production, driven by effectively combating oil theft and pipeline vandalism, has helped restore investor confidence in Nigeria's oil and gas sector.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, urged all relevant agencies and stakeholders to work together to overcome any obstacles hindering production growth.
Speaking on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. (Prof.) Julius Ihonvbere, the Leader of the House, emphasized the need for the forum to assess current progress to ensure fairness and equity.
He noted, "There are undeniable and compelling success stories. Recent reports show that most illegal tapping points have been removed, production levels have improved significantly, and oil receipts are nearly fully delivered to export terminals, a stark contrast to the alarming losses of previous years when production sometimes dropped to about 700 barrels per day."
"Today, largely due to these surveillance and security efforts, we have managed to increase production to approximately 1.8 million barrels per day," he added.
The Speaker also mentioned that the surveillance contract has provided direct employment for thousands of youths in the Niger Delta, offering them a legal alternative to crime and restoring security oversight to the communities hosting these facilities.
Following a thorough review of submissions and presentations from various stakeholders, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), stated that committees found no basis for the allegations made in petitions against Tantita Ltd.
Ugochinyere clarified that all claims were rigorously examined and found to be unsubstantiated. "There is no credible evidence to support any of the allegations. Consequently, all complaints against Tantita are hereby dismissed," he declared.
Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), stressed the importance of continuity for the surveillance contract to maintain the sector's progress. "Disrupting a system that is already yielding results would be counterproductive. Our duty is to ensure stability," he stated.
Similarly, Hon. Prince Okojie cautioned that dividing the contract could compromise coordination and accountability. "We must reinforce what is working, not weaken it. Nigeria's economic security relies on disciplined execution," he concluded.
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