Oil Theft in Nigeria: Who Profits Beyond the Pipeline?

Nigeria has spent years battling crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining in the Niger Delta. Yet the people caught at illegal tapping points may not be the people earning the largest profits. Oil theft depends on a wider chain. Crude must be accessed, moved, stored, processed and sold. This raises serious questions about who finances these operations, supplies equipment and transport, buys stolen crude, and moves the proceeds into the legitimate economy. The human and environmental costs are severe. At least 37 people were reportedly killed in Rivers State after inhaling toxic fumes during an attempted crude theft operation in September. While regulators say crude losses have dropped sharply since 2022, pipeline vandalism and illegal operations have not ended. Nigeria needs to follow the money, not only arrest those at the bottom. Identifying and prosecuting financiers, buyers and organisers is essential to protect lives, the Niger Delta environment, government revenue and oil-sector investment.

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