By Ayomide Otitoju
Nigeria’s crude oil production has risen sharply from a low of 960,000 barrels per day in 2022 to an average of 1.71 million barrels per day, with a peak output of 1.84 million barrels per day recorded in 2025, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed the figures on Wednesday at a Parliamentary Roundtable on the State of Pipeline Security held at the National Assembly in Abuja, according to a statement by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.
Ojulari attributed the production rebound to an integrated energy security framework combining policy coordination, intelligence gathering, security deployment, regulatory oversight, industry collaboration, and community-based surveillance.
He said the gains were driven largely by efforts to curb crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, noting that improved security has helped restore investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address persistent challenges affecting production growth.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, represented by Julius Ihonvbere, urged participants to assess progress made in the sector to ensure fairness and equity in reforms.
The roundtable, convened by the Joint Senate and House Committee on Petroleum Resources, brought together top security chiefs, including the National Security Adviser, Minister of Defence, and heads of security and regulatory agencies.
Presentations were also delivered by the Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector General of Police, Director-General of the State Security Service, Commandant-General of the Civil Defence Corps, and private security operators.
Meanwhile, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, said crude deliveries from the NNPC to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery doubled in March, with six cargoes supplied under naira terms and four in dollars.
However, Dangote noted that the refinery still requires about 19 cargoes for optimal operations and has had to supplement supply with imports from the United States and other African producers.
He also raised concerns over international oil companies’ crude sales practices, saying reliance on traders increases costs and affects fuel pricing.
The refinery is seeking expanded access to locally priced crude under naira-based arrangements to reduce costs and strengthen domestic energy security.
