ABUJA: Nigeria has stepped up its drive to crack down on oil theft in the Niger Delta region as it aims to increase national production to 3 million barrels per day in 2025.
Africa's top oil producer, which relies on the commodity for around two-thirds of state revenue and more than 90 per cent of foreign currency earnings, has been hit by large-scale oil theft that has curbed government finances in recent years.
While the government estimates oil output at around 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd) in next year's budget, actual production hovers around 1.8 million bpd, according to official figures.
The operation to crack down on oil theft, code-named Delta Sanity (OPDS), was launched last year by the petroleum ministry and the Nigerian navy. Chief of Naval Staff Emmanuel Ogalla said OPDS has now been bolstered in a second phase with armed drones, attack helicopters, increased intelligence and other reinforcements which could push up oil production above the budget estimate to 3 million bpd.
"If you look at where we were last year, when we launched this operation, we were about 1.4 million bpd. We have now gone to 1.8 million.
"I believe that with all the assets that we are bringing on board, we are definitely going to meet that target and surpass it," Ogalla said in a statement on Tuesday after the operation's flag-off in the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt in Rivers state.
Junior oil minister Heineken Lokpobiri said Nigeria's average daily oil output was only a little above 1 million bpd when he came into office in August 2023.
"Our target is to reach 3 million bpd by 2025 and we are confident that the second phase of OPDS will play a key role in achieving this milestone."
Last month, Rivers State Government donated six gunboats to the Navy to boost its operation against oil theft in the region. — Reuters
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