Oil production: 3m barrels per day achievable — NNPC Ltd

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has said the agency is confident that it can increase crude oil production from 1.7 million barrels per day to 3 million.

Speaking in Abuja during the weekend at a Stakeholders Engagement Session with National Assembly journalists, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer Olufemi Soneye emphasised that achieving this goal requires support from all stakeholders, including security agencies, government, privately-owned oil companies, and host communities.

He said that President Bola Tinubu’s directives to relevant security agencies have already yielded positive results, with daily oil production rising from 1.4 million to 1.7 million barrels.

Soneye noted that synergy among stakeholders was crucial in combating oil theft and pipeline vandalism, which would create an enabling environment for optimal oil production of 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day.

He said previously, oil production had plummeted to 900,000 barrels per day before private security agencies and military interventions.

Soneye expressed relief that the intensified efforts against oil theft have alleviated concerns.

Also speaking, Deputy Manager of the NNPC Command and Control Centre, Murtala Muhammad highlighted that oil theft remains a serious concern.

“Over 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were detected and destroyed within six months, primarily in Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia.”

A Resource person at the event, Prof. Taiye Obateru, stressed the importance of balanced and fair reporting in nation-building, urging journalists to avoid spreading misinformation that could spark societal crisis.

“As journalists, you must shun mis-information, which manifests through fabricated contents, false contents, satire, and parody,” Obateru said.