Improved pipeline surveillance has transformed Nigeria’s oil sector, boosting crude production, curbing theft, strengthening national revenue, and attracting stakeholder support for sustained infrastructure protection, DARE OLAWIN writes
The security of Nigeria’s oil pipelines has remained central to efforts to curb crude oil theft, increase production, and improve government revenue. In recent years, surveillance operations by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd, working alongside government security agencies and other stakeholders, have attracted attention for their role in protecting critical oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
Supporters of the company’s operations argue that improved pipeline surveillance has contributed to safer oil transportation, reduced disruptions to petroleum production, and strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to benefit from its hydrocarbon resources. They also point to the deployment of hi-tech surveillance facilities as one of the factors that has earned the company commendation from several stakeholders, many of whom have called for the continuity of the current surveillance arrangement.
The fight against oil theft requires more than conventional security measures. It also demands surveillance responsibilities to be entrusted to organisations with proven operational capacity, technical expertise and a demonstrated commitment to protecting critical national assets.
Improved pipeline surveillance has transformed Nigeria’s oil sector, boosting crude production, curbing theft, strengthening national revenue, and attracting stakeholder support for sustained infrastructure protection, DARE OLAWIN writes
The security of Nigeria’s oil pipelines has remained central to efforts to curb crude oil theft, increase production, and improve government revenue. In recent years, surveillance operations by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd, working alongside government security agencies and other stakeholders, have attracted attention for their role in protecting critical oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
Supporters of the company’s operations argue that improved pipeline surveillance has contributed to safer oil transportation, reduced disruptions to petroleum production, and strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to benefit from its hydrocarbon resources. They also point to the deployment of hi-tech surveillance facilities as one of the factors that has earned the company commendation from several stakeholders, many of whom have called for the continuity of the current surveillance arrangement.
The fight against oil theft requires more than conventional security measures. It also demands surveillance responsibilities to be entrusted to organisations with proven operational capacity, technical expertise and a demonstrated commitment to protecting critical national assets.
Stakeholders who support the company’s operations contend that improved surveillance has helped secure oil pipelines, reduce disruptions to petroleum production, and contribute to increased crude oil output. They also argue that these efforts have supported Nigeria’s transition from managing persistent revenue losses associated with crude oil theft to pursuing greater economic stability and planning.
The company’s role in mitigating risks associated with oil pipelines has led many stakeholders to describe it as an important partner in efforts to protect Nigeria’s oil infrastructure. Consequently, calls have continued for sustained collaboration as part of broader measures to safeguard critical national assets and support long-term economic development.
In any economy, critical infrastructure plays a vital role in driving growth and generating national wealth. Such assets, whether operating, non-operating or leased, require adequate protection because of their contribution to economic development and public welfare.
Stakeholders speak
Stakeholders from the forensic, legislative and host community sectors have highlighted the role of coordinated pipeline surveillance in efforts to reduce crude oil theft, improve oil production and strengthen government revenue.
The views were expressed at the end of a two-day National Dialogue on Pipeline Security in Abuja, organised recently by the Forum of Forensic Civil Society Groups in Nigeria in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency.
Participants described Nigeria’s oil pipelines as critical national infrastructure, saying improved security has supported revenue generation and enhanced the government’s capacity to meet its public obligations. They linked recent increases in crude oil production and the decline in pipeline vandalism to coordinated surveillance arrangements, while cautioning against changes they believe could weaken existing structures.
“The dialogue observed that recent improvements in crude oil production levels and the relative decline in pipeline vandalism are closely tied to more coordinated and structured surveillance frameworks. These gains, participants agreed, must be preserved and strengthened rather than subjected to disruptive experimentation,” the communiqué signed by Dr Opialu Fabian stated.
It added: “The Forum expressed concern over increasing calls to fragment pipeline surveillance arrangements under the guise of inclusion, warning that such approaches risk undermining operational coherence, weakening accountability mechanisms, and creating vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminal networks.
“Participants emphasised that pipeline protection is not a routine contractual engagement but a sensitive national security function requiring discipline, trust, intelligence coordination, and a clear chain of command. As such, it cannot be treated as an avenue for political accommodation or patronage distribution.”
Participants also argued that introducing unvetted actors into surveillance operations could compromise intelligence gathering and embolden oil theft syndicates, which have been linked to significant revenue losses over the years. While acknowledging the need for host community participation, they maintained that such involvement should be pursued through structured engagement and capacity-building without undermining operational efficiency or security.
The forum further noted that pipeline breaches have wider implications for the economy through reduced public spending, economic instability, and slower development. It urged stakeholders to keep pipeline protection above sectional interests and cautioned against politicising the issue.
“While recognising the legitimate concerns of host communities and the need for inclusivity, the Forum stressed that inclusion must be pursued through structured engagement, capacity-building, and clearly defined roles that do not compromise efficiency or security outcomes.
“Participants agreed that the protection of national assets must transcend sectional interests, as the consequences of pipeline breaches are borne collectively through reduced public spending, economic instability, and weakened national development.
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“The Forum also cautioned against the politicisation of pipeline security debates, noting that inflammatory narratives around entitlement risk aggravating tensions in the Niger Delta and distracting from the primary objective of safeguarding national infrastructure.”
Among its resolutions, the forum called for the consolidation of existing surveillance gains through sustained coordinated security models. It urged that any reforms should be evidence-based, guided by national interest and security assessments rather than pressure from interest groups.
It also recommended stronger oversight, transparency, and accountability, while encouraging constructive engagement by stakeholders and continuous civic education to promote the protection of national assets.
The dialogue also advocated deeper collaboration among government, host communities and credible security operators to strengthen intelligence sharing without compromising operational integrity.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Dekor Robinson, said the contributions of Tantita and its leadership to national security deserved recognition.
Similarly, members of the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives on Host Communities and Public Petitions, alongside other stakeholders, commended the company’s role in protecting critical oil infrastructure.
They cited increased crude oil production, reduced pipeline vandalism, and improved stability in oil-producing communities among the outcomes recorded under the leadership of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo..
It also recommended stronger oversight, transparency, and accountability, while encouraging constructive engagement by stakeholders and continuous civic education to promote the protection of national assets.
The dialogue also advocated deeper collaboration among government, host communities and credible security operators to strengthen intelligence sharing without compromising operational integrity.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Dekor Robinson, said the contributions of Tantita and its leadership to national security deserved recognition.
Similarly, members of the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives on Host Communities and Public Petitions, alongside other stakeholders, commended the company’s role in protecting critical oil infrastructure.
They cited increased crude oil production, reduced pipeline vandalism, and improved stability in oil-producing communities among the outcomes recorded under the leadership of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
“Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, in partnership with NNPC, has rendered demonstrably effective service in the protection of crude oil pipelines and the recovery of national crude oil production,” they stated.
The joint committee subsequently passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the company and called on the Federal Government and NNPCL to approve a long-term renewal of the surveillance contract to consolidate gains recorded in the fight against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering.
“Tompolo and his team have served this country at great personal risk. They have kept the economic lifeline of the nation running and restored peace to communities that had not experienced peace in decades,” Robinson said.
The National Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, His Highness Benjamin Tamaranebi, also commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as the confidence reposed in Tantita as part of efforts to protect oil assets in the Niger Delta.
“Let us be clear: Destroying our oil assets is economic suicide. It’s a direct attack on the very lifeline of our communities. Our host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades. The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act was a turning point, ensuring that our communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from our land,” he said.
Tamaranebi said Tantita Security Services and other security organisations had contributed to safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets, adding that their operations had helped curb oil theft, improve production levels and support economic stability.
He added: “HOSTCOM believes that the unique understanding of the Niger Delta terrain by Tantita and its personnel is vital for effective onslaught against oil theft, and our security agencies and other critical stakeholders in our region must recognise the selfless contributions of Tantita and its main promoter.”
A Lagos-based social analyst, Jamiu Idris, said the current level of stability in the Niger Delta should be viewed against the challenges that previously affected Nigeria’s oil industry.
“Before the implementation of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited framework in late 2022, the nation faced an existential threat. Oil production had cratered to a historic low of 1.015 million barrels per day in September 2022—a staggering decline that jeopardised the federal budget, weakened the naira, and pushed the economy toward the brink of insolvency,” he stated.
Tech-based surveillance
To strengthen its surveillance operations, Tantita recently contracted Textron Systems, a high-tech security company, to supply three uncrewed aircraft designed to enhance monitoring of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure.
Under the agreement signed late last year, Textron Systems, USA, will deliver three Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 Vertical Takeoff and Landing uncrewed aircraft systems in a fully ITAR-Free configuration designed for ease of export to international customers.
The package also includes options for training and additional aircraft to support future capability expansion, building on an earlier Foreign Military Sale contract with Nigeria.
According to the company, the Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS features a runway-independent configuration powered by Hybrid Quadrotor technology, enabling vertical takeoff and landing.
“The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS is a mature, highly reliable, and industry-proven autonomous solution that will provide Tantita Security Services with transformational capability to execute their security operations,” said the Senior Vice President, Air, Land and Sea Systems, David Phillips.
He added: “The Aerosonde system’s demonstrated performance and benchmark-setting reliability will enable the Tantita team to expand its capabilities to protect the oil and gas infrastructure essential to Nigerian security and prosperity.”
The Aerosonde system has been deployed in operations worldwide and currently operates on more than 10 U.S. Navy ships. It is designed to support multiple payload configurations with both VTOL and fixed-wing options.
SOURCE: PUNCH NEWS PAPER
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