The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil pipeline and terminal receipts are close to 100% due to improved security intervention.

While speaking at the 2025 African Chief Of Defence Staff Summit on Monday, Ojulari said terminal receipts of crude oil that were as low as 30 per cent as a result of crude theft, were now attaining close to 100 per cent.

According to him, the company is beginning to win the war against crude theft prevalent in oil-producing regions.

“We have seen the benefits of the collaboration within the security space, with significant improvement in our operating environment. The devastating impact of crude theft and pipeline attacks is now becoming an issue of the past, and this has come from the immense and intentional efforts of our government agencies and intelligence agencies across the nation and within the Niger Delta.

“Today I can proudly report to you that our pipeline and terminal receipts of crude oil, which were as low as 30 per cent, are attaining close to 100 per cent due to the support of security forces and intelligence agencies.

“Again, this achievement would not have been possible without the professionalism the discipline and collaborative spirit of our defence and security institutions. We at NNP Limited hold this in the highest regard.”

Nigeria premised its 2025 national budget on a crude oil production of 2.06 million barrels per day and $75 per barrel oil price. However, the country has been unable to attain the production largely due to insecurity, which resulted in crude theft in the Niger Delta.

Ojulari blamed oil theft in oil regions on both international and national cartels, which he said exploit security gaps to perpetuate the act.

“We also know that crime, theft and its attendant illegal activities are by no means a purely localised occurrence.  Rather, these operations involve sophisticated international syndicates that take advantage of gaps within the state’s national, regional and continental architecture.”

He advised that the menace be dealt with holistically by African governments.

“It is therefore imperative that forums such as these are encouraged with a view to strengthening strategic, tactical and operational activities within the continent.

“Africa must take its destiny into its hands and chart a collective way forward that meets the goals and aspirations of our people as stakeholders within the energy industry and in light of geopolitical tension around the world.

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He also called for collaborations across borders.

“NNPC wishes to restate our commitment to supporting the various intelligence and security agencies and is willing to cooperate and collaborate with military and intelligence agencies.

“This support and collaboration have been demonstrated as mentioned earlier. It has successes in industry wide security  architecture here in Nigeria which has greatly reduced the incidence of sabotage vandalism, crude theft, and illegal refineries, illegal bunkering and as we envision by virtue of this gathering and the initiatives to be developed an expanded architecture that takes into account the activities on a regional and continental level with all the enabling tools policies and technologies, to allow seamless synergy and collaboration across borders .”

“So as this summit deliberates on deepened defence, strategic, and collaboration in Africa, let me assure you that the oil and gas sector in Nigeria stands ready to complement this effort as we eagerly articulate the benefits to be accrued for the ultimate upliftment of all the stakeholders and citizenry across our borders.

“Together we can safeguard Africa’s resources. We can reinforce the peace and create an enabling environment for the prosperity of our people. Do accept assurance of our highest regard on behalf of NNPC and the Nigerian oil and gas industry”

Ojulari’s stance comes as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), in its latest crude production statistics, said Nigeria’s oil output recorded significant growth in July 2025, averaging 1.71 million barrels of oil per day (bopd).