Protests against oil theft in Nigeria
Nigerian oil theft: Breakthrough or false dawn?
Progress on fixing Nigeria’s long-term oil pipeline theft problem needs to be supported by a wider strategy to avoid relapse
The issue of theft from Nigeria’s oil pipelines has largely been resolved, state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said in August, with pipeline and terminal receipts attaining close to 100%. Figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the body with regulatory responsibility for oil pipeline theft, show that daily losses to theft stood at 9,600b/d in July, the lowest since 2009. That compares with a daily average of 102,900b/d in 2021. Strengthened regulatory oversight is part of the reason. The NNPC was both regulator and commercial operator until 2021, when the Petroleum Industry Act handed regulatory authority for pipeline theft to the NU
Also in this section
30 April 2026
The decision appears driven by economic priorities and long-term planning rather than an attempt at geopolitical escalation
29 April 2026
The UAE’s exit from the alliance marks a decisive step towards a world in which oil markets are shaped less by collective management and more by national strategy
29 April 2026
Trafigura’s $1b prepayment agreement confirms African resource holders’ renewed interest in oil-backed financing deals as they look to capitalise on high oil prices
29 April 2026
The UAE’s departure from the oil producers’ group was a surprise to many, but the move can be traced back to a single point five years ago
