Nigeria intensifies pipeline security and midstream oversight

Stakeholders at the June meeting of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) in Yenagoa urged the Office of the National Security Adviser to monitor those responsible for watching oil and gas assets, citing lapses that have allowed vandalism and illegal bunkering. Technical adviser Oyeinfie Jonjon highlighted an armed attack on the Trans‑Niger Pipeline’s Zone 8 on June 15 and questioned the concentration of oil tankers at Ahoada as evidence of illicit refining. PINL reported that the damaged section was repaired after being cut with a hacksaw and noted a 2.2 % rise in crude output in May, exceeding Nigeria’s OPEC quota for the first time in 2026. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Midstream) pledged stricter legislative scrutiny of Nigeria’s mid‑stream sector. Chairman Odianosen Okojie said, “The era of relying solely on reports and presentations was over,” after visits to Greenville LNG and Indorama Petrochemicals. The committee pledged follow‑up inspections, praised PINL’s role in protecting pipelines, and emphasized the sector’s importance for energy security, domestic gas utilisation and stable petroleum product supply.