Nigeria's crude oil production has surged to 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), a 500,000 bpd increase, according to the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
The NNPC attributes the increase to collaborative efforts with joint venture operators, production-sharing contract partners, security agencies, and the government.
"The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are, in the short and long terms, acceptable to our shareholders," NNPC CEO Mele Kyari told reporters on Thursday.
The company has been actively combating crude oil theft, sabotage, and unrest in the Niger Delta region, which previously significantly hampered production. A dedicated "war room" established in June to coordinate anti-theft efforts has resulted in the destruction of several crude-theft vessels and the arrest of illegal refiners.
Kyari credits rigorous pipeline monitoring and interventions across the entire production chain as key factors in this substantial production increase. The NNPC anticipates reaching a production level of 2 million bpd by the end of the year.