By Our Correspondent

In a bid surpass the nation revenu target for this fiscal year, Nigeria has surpassed its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, production quota for the first time in 2026, with indigenous operator Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, credited as a key driver of the recovery along the Trans Niger Pipeline, TNP.

Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, on June 11, showed national oil output rose 2.2 per cent in May to about 1.70 million barrels per day, bpd, up from 1.66 million bpd in April. Crude oil production averaged 1.53 million bpd, crossing the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd for the first time this year.

The improved performance dominated discussions at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting convened by PINL in Port Harcourt for host communities across Rivers, Imo and Abia States.

Traditional rulers and other stakeholders at the meeting urged the Federal Government to provide stronger institutional support for PINL’s efforts in keeping the pipeline operational and safe.

Dr. Akpos Mezeh, PINL’s General Manager for Community and Stakeholder Relations, attributed the gains and achievements of the pipeline surveillance firm to stronger operational stability on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), deeper community participation, and a shared commitment among government, security agencies and host communities to reject crude theft and pipeline vandalism.

Mezeh noted that more reliable infrastructure was translating into higher government revenue, improved energy security, and renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s upstream sector. “The Trans Niger Pipeline continues to record remarkable operational stability,” he said.

He called for improved collaboration from host communities, while emphasising the roles of stakeholders and traditional rulers in protecting critical assets and government infrastructures in their domains.

Chairman of the South Monarchs Forum, who is also the Nye Nwe-Eli Emohua, King Sergeant Awuse, warned that the peace now enjoyed in oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta had become a target for some unpatriotic saboteurs. “Some who are not patriotic enough will want to spoil your good works,” he cautioned.

Awuse called for increased support for PINL from the Federal Government and security agencies. “This is the time the National Security Adviser and the relevant agencies should give more support to PINL, because if our oil production goes down, it will affect every act of governance,” the monarch stated.

The King of Eleme Kingdom, His Majesty Dr. Philip Obele Osaro, commended PINL’s community programmes for reducing youth restiveness in host areas. He said increased funding for the company’s initiatives would expand opportunities for youth and women empowerment across the corridor.

Also speaking, Engr. Akponime Omojewvhe, Head of Field Operations for the Eastern Corridor at NNPCL’s Project Monitoring Office, urged communities to provide early reports on suspicious activities of saboteurs and oil thieves.

He stressed that timely intelligence from residents remained critical to protecting the pipeline corridor from vandals and oil thieves.

The output milestone comes amid sustained operations by security agencies under Operation DELTA SAFE and renewed collaboration between regulators, operators and host communities.

With the TNP accounting for a significant portion of Nigeria’s export grade, stakeholders say maintaining the current stability will be crucial to sustaining production above the OPEC quota in the months ahead.

By Our Correspondent

In an effort to improve the nation’s revenue target,Nigeria has surpassed its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, production quota for the first time in 2026, with indigenous operator Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, credited as a key driver of the recovery along the Trans Niger Pipeline, TNP.

Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, on June 11, showed national oil output rose 2.2 per cent in May to about 1.70 million barrels per day, bpd, up from 1.66 million bpd in April. Crude oil production averaged 1.53 million bpd, crossing the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd for the first time this year.

The improved performance dominated discussions at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting convened by PINL in Port Harcourt for host communities across Rivers, Imo and Abia States.

Traditional rulers and other stakeholders at the meeting urged the Federal Government to provide stronger institutional support for PINL’s efforts in keeping the pipeline operational and safe.

Dr. Akpos Mezeh, PINL’s General Manager for Community and Stakeholder Relations, attributed the gains and achievements of the pipeline surveillance firm to stronger operational stability on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), deeper community participation, and a shared commitment among government, security agencies and host communities to reject crude theft and pipeline vandalism.

Mezeh noted that more reliable infrastructure was translating into higher government revenue, improved energy security, and renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s upstream sector. “The Trans Niger Pipeline continues to record remarkable operational stability,” he said.

He called for improved collaboration from host communities, while emphasising the roles of stakeholders and traditional rulers in protecting critical assets and government infrastructures in their domains.

Chairman of the South Monarchs Forum, who is also the Nye Nwe-Eli Emohua, King Sergeant Awuse, warned that the peace now enjoyed in oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta had become a target for some unpatriotic saboteurs. “Some who are not patriotic enough will want to spoil your good works,” he cautioned.

Awuse called for increased support for PINL from the Federal Government and security agencies. “This is the time the National Security Adviser and the relevant agencies should give more support to PINL, because if our oil production goes down, it will affect every act of governance,” the monarch stated.

The King of Eleme Kingdom, His Majesty Dr. Philip Obele Osaro, commended PINL’s community programmes for reducing youth restiveness in host areas. He said increased funding for the company’s initiatives would expand opportunities for youth and women empowerment across the corridor.

Also speaking, Engr. Akponime Omojewvhe, Head of Field Operations for the Eastern Corridor at NNPCL’s Project Monitoring Office, urged communities to provide early reports on suspicious activities of saboteurs and oil thieves.

He stressed that timely intelligence from residents remained critical to protecting the pipeline corridor from vandals and oil thieves.

The output milestone comes amid sustained operations by security agencies under Operation DELTA SAFE and renewed collaboration between regulators, operators and host communities.

With the TNP accounting for a significant portion of Nigeria’s export grade, stakeholders say maintaining the current stability will be crucial to sustaining production above the OPEC quota in the months ahead.

‎By Emmanuel Ikpe, Uyo
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‎Coalition of civil society organizations, youth groups, community advocates, academic scholars and media in Akwa Ibom have petitioned the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to address cases where corporate organizations are profiting from Gas flaring and pollution while host communities bear the cost.
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‎Addressing journalists just after a peaceful demonstration and presentation of the petition letter to representative of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in Eket, Eket LGA on Friday by Network Advancement Program for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reward,Helen Bassey Eyo, the coalition which was convened by Clement Isong Foundation with support from Actionaid Nigeria under the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) II, says the exercise was part of activities to commemorate the 2026 World Environmental Day with a call to end gas flaring, defend rights and build future.
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‎According to them, Gas flaring penalties exceeding $10.4 million dollars became payable on OML 13 alone between 2021 and 2023. They therefore called for accountability of $270 million dollars in outstanding penalties owed to host communities from 2021 to 2025. “nationally, oil companies paid $646 million dollars in Gas flare penalties in 2025, the highest in five years, yet Nigeria flared 301.3 million scf of Gas in 2024, up from 278.3 million in 2023, and did not meet its 2025 zero-flare target”.
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‎The Akwa Ibom Extractive Justice Alliance noted that in communities like Ikot Town, Elekpon and Atabrikang in Eastern Obolo LGA of the State Gas has been burning continuously since NEPL/NOL began production on OML 13 in May 2024. Eight villages in Eastern Obolo have no electricity yet OML 13 holds over five trillion cubic feet of Gas. The energy being burned over these communities could instead be used to power them.
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‎Speaking to newsmen, the Director, Clement Isong Foundation, convener of Akwa Ibom Extractive Justice Alliance on behalf of the 15 CSOs including academia, media, women and youths groups noted that in Ibeno LGA of the State, Network Exploration and Production Limited continues to flare gas at Mkpanak with documented impact on air, water and soil across Ibeno, Onna, Eket and Esit Eket. “rain water in Ibeno is no longer consumable, Itakabasi community has been lost to coastal erosion accelerated by environmental degradation. Seplat Energy which acquired Mobil Production Nigeria Unlimited from ExxonMobil in December 2024, now operates OMLs 67, 68, 68 and 104 in Akwa Ibom, inheriting an operational history that includes over fifty years of environmental liabilities that coastal communities are still waiting to see them addressed”, they added.
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‎Accordingly, the alliance have asked President Tinubu to reverse the presidential executive order 9 of February 13, 2026 which suspended all Gas flare penalties remittance into the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund and and redirected them to the Federation Account. “the Order 9 has remove a financing mechanism established under the PIA 2021 specifically to support environmental remediation and community development in host communities. AKEJA is calling for this to be reversed and for the original framework to be restored”.
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‎Meanwhile, the Civil Society Organizations have stated that if their demands are not met as at when due, they will pull out all their members to protest to the office the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission with stiff penalties to ensure their plights are giving desire attention.

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