The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, disclosed that the company has documented 9,000 infractions on oil pipelines within a single year. He expressed concern that crude oil theft remains pervasive throughout Nigeria, implicating a significant number of individuals. Kyari made these remarks during a House of Representatives Special Committee on Oil Theft oversight visit to NNPC’s headquarters in Abuja.
Kyari revealed that from 2022 to the present, NNPC has shut down 6,465 illegal refineries and dismantled 4,876 illegal pipeline connections out of 5,570 identified. However, he acknowledged uncertainty about the exact number, noting approximately a thousand connections that remain unaddressed. He highlighted the persistent challenge of immediate replacements after removing illegal connections, often located dangerously close to settlements and government offices.
Despite efforts to combat pipeline vandalism, Kyari emphasized ongoing security threats, necessitating collaboration among security agencies and private firms. He underscored that Nigeria’s oil production capacity exceeds two million barrels per day, yet current output struggles to meet the budgeted estimate of 1.6 million barrels due to various challenges, primarily crude oil theft. Kyari stressed that until the issue of theft is adequately addressed, investors remain hesitant to invest in oil production.
