The NNPC Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, during a meeting with Maritime Stakeholders at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters on Tuesday noted that a 2 million bpd for Africa’s largest oil producer is attainable, as seen in the Punch newspaper.
The oil firm’s boss, represented by Folorunsho Karim, Managing Director of Pipeline NNPC, stated: “The target is to increase production to two million barrels by the end of the year, and we are fully committed to doing that. I appreciate the support of the Nigerian Navy in making this possible.”
He added; “They have been providing significant support, which has resulted in a reduction in oil theft. Pipeline vandalism has also decreased significantly, and there is a lot currently happening in the industry. We hope to sustain this progress to achieve our target of two million barrels per day by the end of the year.”
Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of the Naval Staff, pointed out that Nigeria’s growth has encountered various challenging security problems in recent years, including violent agitations, oil theft, pipeline destruction, and piracy/sea robbery.
“The traditional methods of addressing these security challenges have not yielded the desired results. Hence, the meeting also aimed to address emerging security issues arising from the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act,” he said.
“The Federal Government’s drive to develop the nation’s blue economy requires the support of all stakeholders,” he added.
He also stated that the Navy was making efforts to guarantee that its activities didn’t hinder operators, but rather helped them in completing their tasks and producing optimally.
“We also ensure that our arrests and detentions do not impede legitimate business operators. When we make arrests, we conduct preliminary investigations quickly and release vessels if the information is found to be incorrect, so as not to disrupt businesses. This is our general contribution,” he said.
