Nigeria’s crude oil production continues its upward trajectory, with the latest figures showing a notable increase attributed to enhanced security measures and community-driven peace initiatives in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. Stakeholders, including host community leaders and industry experts, have singled out the role of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) in curbing vandalism and illegal bunkering, leading to more stable output and potential billions in additional federal revenue. However, environmental activists are raising alarms over persistent risks from oil spills, urging a balanced approach that prioritizes ecological safeguards alongside economic gains.
According to recent reports from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the country’s daily crude oil production has climbed to an average of 1.48 million barrels per day (bpd) as of late September 2025, up from 1.40 million bpd in March. This marks a 99% adherence to Nigeria’s 1.5 million bpd quota under the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), with gas production also surging to 7.59 billion standard cubic feet per day. The improvements are largely credited to sustained surveillance operations along key pipelines, particularly the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), which spans Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia states in the Niger Delta.
PINL, the primary surveillance contractor for the TNP, has been at the forefront of these gains. The company has achieved near-zero vandalism incidents on its monitored sections, enabling uninterrupted flow from fields like Diebu Creek, Gbarain, and Nun River to the Bonny export terminal. Community leaders from affected areas, speaking at a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Port Harcourt, praised PINL’s collaborative model, which includes monthly dialogues, youth empowerment programs, and prompt payments to local surveillance guards. Emeni Ibe, President-General of the Orashi People’s Congress, highlighted how these efforts have fostered trust and reduced conflicts, stating, “Our people… have asked me to convey their gratitude for regularly holding this stakeholders meeting.”
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has linked this stability directly to revenue milestones, noting that Nigeria met its 2025 oil and gas sector targets for the first time in years, thanks to “steady production and higher profitability.” FIRS Chairman Dr. Zacch Adedeji emphasized the role of security agencies and contractors like PINL in maintaining peace, which has boosted investor confidence and foreign direct investment. Projections suggest that sustained output could add up to $5-7 billion annually to federal coffers, based on current Brent crude prices hovering around $75 per barrel.
Yet, the optimism is tempered by environmental concerns. Activists from groups like the Niger Delta Citizens Alliance warn that intensified operations could exacerbate oil spills, which have long plagued the region—costing ecosystems and livelihoods in communities already burdened by pollution. A recent bust of two illegal refining sites in Oyigbo, Rivers State, by PINL and the Special Prosecution Task Force (SPT), uncovered millions of liters of stolen crude and highlighted ongoing collusion risks. “While we celebrate the revenue, we cannot ignore the spills that poison our waters and farmlands,” said one Bayelsa-based advocate. Calls are growing for expanded environmental monitoring and stricter penalties under the Petroleum Industry Act.
In response, PINL and the National Security Adviser’s office have committed to deeper community collaborations, including the recruitment of 35,000 Niger Delta youths for patrols and the deployment of advanced surveillance tech. Traditional rulers along the TNP corridor echoed demands for more youth inclusion in the sector, arguing it would further deter theft and promote “fairness and shared prosperity.”
As Nigeria eyes a 3 million bpd target by year-end, the Niger Delta’s fragile peace remains pivotal. With the Dangote Refinery’s expansion to 1.4 million bpd capacity underway, local output stability could soon fuel domestic refining, reducing import dependency and bolstering the naira. For now, the region’s stakeholders urge the federal government not to replace but to broaden PINL’s mandate, ensuring that economic wins do not come at the expense of the environment or community welfare.
