By Fatima Saka
Abuja — The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has reiterated the need for deeper collaboration among stakeholders to secure Nigeria’s oil pipelines, declaring that sustained peace in the sector is critical to boosting production and driving economic growth.
Speaking through Jimoh Ibrahim at the Parliamentary Roundtable on the State of Pipeline Security held at the National Assembly, Akpabio emphasized that a coordinated ecosystem involving security agencies, host communities, and government institutions remains the only path to lasting stability in the oil sector.
Addressing concerns over whether current efforts would yield different results, Ibrahim expressed optimism, pointing to improvements already being recorded. “Are we going to see something different this time? Yes, we are already seeing a difference,” he said. “Pipeline surveillance will be different. The figures speak for themselves — today, Nigeria is producing between 1.6 and 1.7 million barrels per day.”
He noted that although the country has not yet reached its full production target, the upward trend reflects progress. According to him, production has climbed to about 1.8 million barrels per day, a development he described as encouraging.
Ibrahim explained that the Senate President’s message centers on achieving “peace of the pipeline” through collaboration. He added that the Federal Government’s commitment, reflected in increased budgetary allocations to security agencies in the 2025 fiscal plan, is aimed at pushing production to about 2.1 million barrels per day.
“The Senate President believes that if we strengthen collaboration across the ecosystem, we will secure the pipelines,” he said. “And when pipelines are secure, economic development and growth will naturally follow.”
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He further stated that the roundtable was designed to gather insights, identify operational gaps, and build a unified strategy for pipeline protection. Outcomes from the discussions, he added, would be reviewed in subsequent engagements to ensure implementation and measurable progress.
Ibrahim assured that stakeholders would continue to work together to refine strategies and sustain momentum, noting that improved coordination remains essential to consolidating gains in oil production and securing Nigeria’s economic future.
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