NNPCL Seeks Host Communities’ Support to Achieve 2mbpd Crude Oil Target in 2026
By Naija Enquirer Staff
NNPCL has taken its campaign to meet the Federal Government’s 2026 crude oil production target directly to host communities across the Niger Delta, stressing that sustained collaboration is critical to achieving over two million barrels per day.
One of the engagement sessions was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, covering host communities in Rivers, Bayelsa and Imo states along the eastern corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), under the surveillance of :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} (PINL).
Speaking at the monthly stakeholders’ meeting organised by PINL, Akponime Omojevwhe, Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office of NNPCL, said the corporation’s internal production ambition of over two million barrels per day had been adopted by the Federal Government as part of the 2026 budget framework.
Omojevwhe noted that current uninterrupted crude flow through the TNP was the result of strong collaboration between communities, stakeholders and security operators.
“Right now, we can see that the TNP is green, which means products are flowing uninterrupted. This is due to the cooperation of our host communities,” he said.
He explained that Nigeria’s 2026 crude oil budget projection begins at 1.84 million barrels per day, with a target of 2.06 million barrels per day, while NNPCL itself is working toward an even higher benchmark of 2.8 million barrels per day.
“As we move closer to 2026, we appeal to our communities not to relent. No private security company can succeed without community support,” Omojevwhe added, stressing that chiefs, youth leaders, women leaders and community development committees play a central role in safeguarding pipeline infrastructure.
Representing the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, at the meeting, Edi Julius commended the host communities for maintaining peace in their areas, noting that increased production levels are directly linked to local cooperation.
“Without peace from your domain, production will not be up. The ambitious 2026 production target of over two million barrels per day is achievable because of what communities are doing,” Julius said.
Also speaking, Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations at PINL, said the monthly engagement provides an opportunity to review progress in combating pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, while appreciating stakeholders for their commitment.
He highlighted achievements recorded in the outgoing year, including expanded security coverage, deeper community inclusion, empowerment programmes targeting women and students, and the introduction of the Town Crier Initiative to strengthen grassroots communication.
Mezeh called for even stronger collaboration in 2026, urging communities to continue protecting national assets and promoting peace in the region.
Meanwhile, a host community leader, Philip Osaro Obele, appealed to the Federal Government to increase development efforts in oil-producing communities, noting that rising production levels have boosted national revenue.
Nigeria’s crude oil output has recorded steady growth following tighter mandates for pipeline protection operators across the eastern and western corridors, with daily production rising from below one million barrels per day to nearly 1.8 million barrels per day.
