Sub-Saharan Africa
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Nigeria Loses 400,000 Barrels Daily to Oil Thieves: National Security Adviser

© Photo Twitter / @nnpclimitedThe Nigerian government's Oil Theft Situation Assessment Delegation inspects oil facilities in the Niger Delta on August 26, 2023.
The Nigerian government's Oil Theft Situation Assessment Delegation inspects oil facilities in the Niger Delta on August 26, 2023.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 28.08.2023
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One of Africa's largest oil producers has recently experienced a spike in pipeline vandalism and crude theft in its oil-producing regions, exacerbating the country's revenue challenges.
Nigeria loses 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day to local and foreign thieves despite government efforts to curb the trade, said Nigeria's National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The official offered his comments while leading the government delegation to inspect oil and gas facilities in Rivers State, the Niger Delta region in southern Nigeria. Representatives of security agencies and senior officials also visited vandalism sites and suspected maritime oil theft facilities in Koko, Delta State, to assess the situation.
According to Ribadu, the activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals have negatively impacted the nation's economy and are partly responsible for the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
"It is unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to the nation, communities and the people," Ribadu said.
Oil production. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 12.05.2023
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Nigeria Loses Status of Africa's Top Petroleum Producer
Recently, Nigeria's daily oil production has been in a sustained decline, to the point that in April it lost its leading position in oil production on the continent to Angola, according to data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). In May, however, Nigeria regained its position as Africa's largest crude oil producer.
One of the main reasons for the slump is considered to be oil theft, a persistent challenge that seems to defy government solutions and is estimated to cost the economy hundreds of billions of naira in losses.

"Nigeria has the capacity to produce two million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalization of pipelines," the adviser said, adding: "So, we’re talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste, with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it."

Oil theft includes the illegal siphoning, smuggling, or sabotage of oil infrastructure. Moreover, the subsequent loss of revenue discourages investment in the oil sector, leading to a decline in production levels.
Ribadu emphasized that President Bola Tinubu's administration is concerned about the situation and is taking steps to address the issue by enhancing security measures, including surveillance, patrols, and enforcement. The official called on the country's authorities to unite and combat oil theft in order to put an end to the decades-long attacks on Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure.
A suspected oil thief rides a wooden boat full of stolen crude oil on the creeks of Bayelsa, Nigeria - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 11.07.2023
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Nigeria Destroys Intercepted Oil-Smuggling Vessel
During his visit to the Niger Delta, Ribadu applauded the interventions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which is responsible for exploiting the country's oil and gas reserves, and acknowledged "the courageous actions of men of the armed forces and other government security agencies."
In particular, last year, the NNPC launched an application to monitor the incidence of theft and vandalism as part of efforts to curb crude oil theft. It also hired a private security firm, Tantita Security Services, to guard and prevent theft from the country's oil fields.
In July this year, the company intercepted a vessel carrying 800,000 liters of allegedly stolen crude oil. It was revealed that the ship had been operating in stealth mode for the past 12 years.
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