KEY POINTS
- NUPRC has called for the deployment of drone technology to strengthen monitoring and protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
- The commission says improved security measures have helped raise crude oil production to nearly 1.8 million barrels per day.
- The Ministry of Defence plans to complement security efforts with youth-focused, sports-based programmes in oil-producing communities.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has called for the adoption of advanced technologies, including drone surveillance systems, to improve monitoring and protection of oil and gas facilities across the country.
The commission said the move is necessary to safeguard critical energy infrastructure, sustain production growth, and create a more secure environment for investment in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector. The proposal was presented during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Ministry of Defence.
Speaking during the visit, the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said recent security interventions have played a major role in increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production.
According to her, a combination of non-kinetic security measures, technology deployment, and improved stakeholder collaboration has helped boost production levels to nearly 1.8 million barrels per day.
She noted that sustained investments in security infrastructure, technological innovations, and manpower development have contributed significantly to the improvement in output.
Eyesan stressed that maintaining and expanding these gains would require stronger surveillance systems capable of monitoring the vast network of oil and gas installations across the country.
Drone Technology Seen as Key to Infrastructure Protection
The NUPRC chief highlighted the need for more sophisticated monitoring tools, particularly drones, to oversee operations in remote and difficult-to-access areas.
She explained that as Nigeria seeks to increase oil production and attract fresh investments into the sector, investors must be assured that security threats can be effectively managed.
According to her, stronger cooperation among regulators, security agencies, and industry operators is essential to achieving this goal.
“As we look to the future, we desire to grow production and must have assurances that security threats can be effectively managed. We can only achieve this through stronger collaboration with security agencies and industry stakeholders,” she said.
Eyesan disclosed that the commission plans to work closely with operators and relevant stakeholders to refine and implement a new security framework for the industry.
She said NUPRC would take a leading role in mobilising stakeholders and establishing governance structures that will ensure the long-term sustainability of security initiatives in the oil and gas sector.
The framework is expected to strengthen production assurance, reduce infrastructure-related losses, and improve operational efficiency across the industry.
Representing the Minister of Defence, Major General Ekubi, Senior Special Assistant to the minister, outlined plans for a new non-kinetic national security intervention model aimed at promoting stability in oil-producing regions.
He explained that the initiative seeks to address some of the root causes of insecurity through community engagement and social development programmes rather than relying solely on military action.
According to him, sports-based youth engagement programmes will be a major component of the strategy.
