…Says Nigeria Regaining Billions

At the peak of Nigeria’s crude oil theft crisis, criminals were siphoning more than 1.3 million barrels of crude daily, while the country’s official production fell to between 400,000 and 700,000 barrels per day—resulting in billions of dollars lost annually.

However, by December 2025, significant progress had been made in curbing oil theft, according to the Chairman of Chevron Nigeria, Jim Swartz. “Chevron has not recorded any oil theft or attacks on our pipelines this year. This is the longest we’ve gone without oil theft,” he said, highlighting a major turnaround.

Central to this success is Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a private surveillance firm contracted by the federal government to protect critical oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta. Led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, the company has combined enforcement, technology, and community engagement to address the crisis.

Since its contract award in August 2022, Tantita has uncovered more than 702 illegal pipeline connections and 1,784 illegal refinery sites. Between August 2022 and November 2024, the firm reported 3,963 incidents linked to oil theft operations. Security teams dismantled over 3,000 illegal refining facilities and seized vessels, barges, tugboats, vehicles, tanker trucks, speedboats, and more than 1,700 wooden boats used to transport stolen crude.

The impact on production has been remarkable. Nigeria’s oil output, which stood at 1.015 million barrels per day in September 2022, rose to about 1.7 million barrels per day by November 2024 and further to 1.8 million barrels per day by July 2025, surpassing the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels. Daily losses fell from 700,000 barrels in 2022 to around 9,600 barrels by mid-2025, preserving roughly $50 million per day for the national economy—an estimated $18 billion annually.

Tantita’s strategy includes the deployment of hybrid drones for pipeline surveillance and a community-based approach that leverages local knowledge to dismantle criminal networks operating across creeks and waterways.

Despite the progress, security operatives have faced significant risks, with some losing their lives confronting heavily armed criminal groups. Nevertheless, the crackdown has restored investor confidence, strengthened government revenues, and marked a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against crude oil theft.

Industry observers say the combination of technology, local engagement, and targeted enforcement by Tantita Security demonstrates that Nigeria can reclaim control over its most valuable resource while securing economic gains for the nation.