Peace in Niger Delta Boosts Oil Revenue as Nigeria Hits 2025 Target, Says FIRS
By NaijaEnquirer Staff
FIRS credits sustained peace in the Niger Delta and joint security crackdowns on crude theft for Nigeria meeting its 2025 oil and gas revenue target ahead of schedule.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has applauded the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta, crediting it for Nigeria’s strong oil and gas performance in 2025.
FIRS Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, revealed that the Federal Government has already met its annual oil and gas revenue target—an achievement he says is directly linked to improved security and the clampdown on crude theft.
“For the first time in a long while, we met our oil and gas target,” Adedeji told military leaders led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa. “This is the direct result of the peace maintained in oil and gas-producing areas. Prosperity can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, and the Armed Forces remain key to sustaining it.”
Adedeji commended the Armed Forces, other security agencies, and private surveillance firms like Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for their role in safeguarding pipelines.
In Port Harcourt, PINL’s General Manager for Community and Stakeholder Relations, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said the company achieved a zero-infringement record last month, boosting national oil output. “Our collaboration with host communities—backed by strategies such as prompt salary payments, quick conflict resolution, and strict safety measures—has strengthened trust and reduced downtime,” Mezeh noted.
PINL has also been instrumental in security raids, including the recent discovery of two illegal refining sites in Oyigbo, Rivers State, hidden behind a logistics company and a piggery. According to Mezeh, the joint PINL–Special Prosecution Task Force (SPT) operation led to the arrest of suspects, the seizure of 60,000 litres of stolen crude, and the destruction of refining equipment.
CSP Omar Sini, SPT’s Head of Investigation, said PINL intelligence was crucial. “The piggery was so remote that only drone surveillance could locate it. We now have 38 active cases in court,” he confirmed.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) Head of Eastern Corridor Operations, Engr. Akponine Omojevwe, urged communities to protect oil infrastructure and the development gains from security partnerships. “PINL has gone beyond security by funding scholarships and local projects. These efforts must be safeguarded, not sabotaged,” he said.
With the 2025 oil revenue target already achieved, the Federal Government has vowed to maintain security pressure on oil thieves and strengthen investor confidence in the sector.
