The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says improved security around the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), driven by closer collaboration with host communities and Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), is delivering a measurable boost to crude oil production and national revenue.
The company made the affirmation at the first PINL and Host Community monthly stakeholders’ engagement meeting for 2026, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking at the meeting, Akponime Omojevwhe, Head of Field Operations for the Eastern Corridor at NNPCL’s Project Monitoring Office, credited sustained community support for the improved performance recorded along the TNP corridor.
He noted that cooperation from local stakeholders has played a critical role in curbing pipeline infractions and stabilising operations, urging communities to maintain the momentum to help the country meet its 2026 crude oil production target of 2.5 million barrels per day.
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According to him, the gains recorded so far underscore the direct link between security, community engagement, and increased oil output.
PINL’s General Manager for Community and Stakeholders Relations, Dr Akpos Mezeh, reinforced this position, revealing that host communities have given renewed assurances to protect critical pipeline infrastructure.
He said the company remains aligned with the Federal Government’s production goals and is determined to sustain zero infractions along the TNP route.
Mezeh also disclosed that PINL plans to mediate ongoing discussions between the Federal Government and Ogoniland communities, a move aimed at facilitating the long-awaited resumption of oil exploration in the area.
Beyond pipeline surveillance, Mezeh outlined broader strategies for 2026, including expanding women and youth empowerment programmes, deepening community intelligence gathering, strengthening collaboration with NNPCL, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and security agencies, as well as advocating increased government presence and infrastructure development in oil-producing communities.
He stressed that resolving conflicts across the Niger Delta, particularly in Ogoniland, remains essential to achieving national production targets.
Community leaders at the meeting acknowledged PINL’s engagement approach, praising its emphasis on dialogue and inclusion. Traditional rulers and youth representatives from Rivers, Imo, and Abia states commended the company for its community-focused initiatives, including recent palliative distributions and employment opportunities tied to pipeline surveillance.
They described PINL’s model as a departure from past practices that often fuelled division, pledging continued support for efforts that promote peace, development, and economic growth in the Niger Delta.
As Nigeria pushes to restore and sustain higher oil output levels, NNPCL’s message from Port Harcourt is clear: securing critical infrastructure through trust, dialogue, and shared responsibility with host communities is no longer optional, but central to the country’s energy and revenue ambitions.
