Nigeria’s Oil Output Rebound: How Pipeline Security Helped Restore Production

Nigeria’s crude production fell to about 960,000 barrels per day in 2022 as oil theft, illegal connections and pipeline sabotage disrupted operations across the Niger Delta. The Trans-Niger Pipeline and other key evacuation routes suffered repeated shutdowns, leaving producers unable to move crude reliably to export terminals. The recovery combined tighter pipeline surveillance, community-based reporting, security deployments and repairs to damaged wells, flow stations and trunk lines. Crude production reportedly rose to an average of 1.71 million barrels per day in 2025, while Nigeria sustained its 1.5 million-bpd OPEC quota for four consecutive months by August 2026. Gas output also increased between April 2025 and April 2026. The reported N11 trillion spent on energy-security and asset protection has raised legitimate accountability concerns. However, the cost should be assessed alongside the revenue losses, production disruptions and repair bills caused by theft and sabotage. Security improvements may not be the only reason for the rebound, but reliable infrastructure remains essential to protecting Nigeria’s oil and gas revenue.

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