FG targets oil theft through youth engagement, community development
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The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Federal Ministry of Defence have agreed to strengthen collaboration on the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure through a combination of security measures, community engagement and non-kinetic interventions aimed at sustaining crude oil production growth.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Ministry of Defence to the headquarters of the NUPRC in Abuja, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to tackle crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other threats to the country’s petroleum assets.
The development comes amid renewed optimism in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector following a gradual recovery in crude oil production after years of losses linked to theft, sabotage and insecurity in oil-producing communities.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Head of Media and Corporate Communications at the NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, the commission said both institutions agreed to deepen cooperation in safeguarding critical oil and gas infrastructure while promoting peace and stability in host communities.
The statement partly read, “The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Federal Ministry of Defence have agreed to deepen collaboration on the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure through non-kinetic interventions aimed at enhancing production stability and community engagement.”
Speaking during the meeting, the Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the progress recorded in recent months was largely due to the collaborative efforts of security agencies, regulators and industry operators in tackling crude oil theft and protecting energy assets.
According to her, the country is already reaping the benefits of those coordinated interventions.
“Today, we are benefiting from those efforts. Last month, we recorded production of nearly 1.8 million barrels per day throughout the month,” Eyesan said.
She noted that investments in security architecture, technology deployment and human capacity development had played a significant role in stabilising production levels and improving operational efficiency across the industry.
The NUPRC boss stressed that sustaining the gains would require even stronger partnerships as Nigeria seeks to ramp up crude oil production, improve revenue generation and attract fresh investments into the upstream sector.
“As we look to the future, we desire to grow production and must have assurances that security threats can be effectively managed. We can only achieve this through stronger collaboration with security agencies and industry stakeholders,” she added.
Eyesan further highlighted the need for greater deployment of advanced technologies in monitoring oil and gas facilities spread across the country.
She explained that tools such as drone surveillance, digital monitoring systems and other emerging technologies would become increasingly important in securing critical infrastructure and responding quickly to threats.
According to her, the commission intends to work closely with operators to refine and institutionalise a new security framework capable of addressing evolving challenges in the sector.
Representing the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister, Major General Ekubi, disclosed that the ministry was developing a non-kinetic national security intervention model designed to support stability and economic activities in the country’s oil-producing regions.
He explained that beyond conventional security operations, the initiative would focus on addressing some of the social and economic factors responsible for insecurity and vandalism in host communities.
According to him, sports-based youth engagement programmes would constitute a major pillar of the intervention strategy.
“One of the best ways to engage youths in oil-producing areas is through sports-based interventions,” he said, adding that the initiative would include structured programmes for persons with disabilities.
He added that the initiative aligns with the host community development objectives enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act and would contribute to strengthening relations between industry operators and local communities.
Nigeria has for years struggled with large-scale crude oil theft, illegal refining and pipeline vandalism, particularly in the Niger Delta region, resulting in billions of dollars in lost revenues and reduced oil production.
However, intensified security operations, the deployment of surveillance technologies and greater stakeholder engagement have contributed to a gradual improvement in production levels over the past year.
The Federal Government has repeatedly stated that increasing crude oil production remains a major priority as the country seeks to maximise revenue from the petroleum sector, improve foreign exchange earnings and support economic growth.
The latest collaboration between the NUPRC and the Ministry of Defence is expected to further strengthen efforts aimed at securing critical energy infrastructure and sustaining the recent gains recorded in the sector.
Damilola Aina is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over five years of experience covering energy, business, investment, infrastructure, and property sectors. He specializes in producing well-researched and insightful reports that inform readers and provide clarity on complex topics. Damilola’s work demonstrates practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a strong commitment to accurate and engaging journalism.
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