KEY POINTS
- PINL says Nigeria has the capacity to meet OPEC’s 2.5 million barrels per day production quota.
- Nigeria met 99.2 percent of its 1.5 mbpd OPEC quota in April, a 7.58 percent monthly increase.
- Zero pipeline disruptions in Bayelsa, Adebawa and Bisini for one month drove the production gains.
A pipeline surveillance company operating in Nigeria’s oil-rich Eastern Corridor says the country has what it takes to meet the 2.5 million barrels per day quota set by OPEC, pointing to April production data as evidence that stability and infrastructure protection deliver real results.
Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, known as PINL, manages security for the Trans Niger Pipeline, the Eastern Gas Network and other hydrocarbon infrastructure in the region. Its general manager for community and stakeholder relations, Akpos Mezeh, made the remarks at a stakeholders meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Mezeh cited a May 12 report from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission showing Nigeria met 99.2 percent of its 1.5 million barrels per day OPEC quota in April. That figure represented a 7.58 percent increase compared to March. April’s peak production reached 1.85 million barrels per day, with the month’s lowest daily figure recorded at 1.46 million barrels.
Zero disruptions drive production gains
Mezeh attributed the strong numbers directly to pipeline security. There were zero disruptions on oil infrastructure along the Bayelsa, Adebawa and Bisini axis for a full month leading up to the figures, he said.
“Behind every increase in production lies the sacrifices and cooperation of communities, surveillance teams, traditional rulers, security agencies and other stakeholders,” Mezeh said.
He described the data as more than routine statistics. The numbers, he argued, are direct evidence that stability, community cooperation and effective pipeline protection translate into measurable economic gains at the national level.
The road to 2.5 million barrels per day
PINL’s optimism on the 2.5 million barrels target comes as Nigeria continues working to close the gap between its current output and the higher quota. The country has faced years of pipeline vandalism, oil theft and production shortfalls that kept output well below its potential.
Mezeh credited the recent improvement to the proactive approach of surveillance teams and their collaboration with communities, traditional rulers and security agencies. He urged all stakeholders and surveillance teams to remain vigilant and continue fulfilling their obligations across operational areas.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest crude oil producer and one of OPEC’s key members. Sustained production growth at current rates would put the 2.5 million barrels per day target within a credible medium-term range, provided security conditions across the Niger Delta hold.
