Oil surveillance operations can achieve $1trn economy — Stakeholders

As the crude oil export is pivotal to Nigeria’s move to achieve $1 trillion economy size by 2030, the pipeline surveillance operation in the Niger Delta region is seen as the engine that will propel the federal government vision. The pipeline surveillance operations are being championed by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) whose operations […]

As the crude oil export is pivotal to Nigeria’s move to achieve $1 trillion economy size by 2030, the pipeline surveillance operation in the Niger Delta region is seen as the engine that will propel the federal government vision.

The pipeline surveillance operations are being championed by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) whose operations will be central in achieving the revenue streams required to grow the economy to a quantum $1 trillion size.

The federal government’s economic projection requires a stable and prosperous economy that is driven by peace and stability, especially in the Niger Delta where most of the oil explorations are taking place.

Daily Trust gathered that Nigeria has a big dream, achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with significant support from the oil sector.

The Policy Advisory Council report on the national economy recently set a goal of achieving a GDP of $1trillion with clearly defined priority areas and strategies.

Economists observed that gaining the oil sector backing in this milestone journey requires more than policy pronouncements from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

It also requires investment drive, attractiveness to global financial markets and strong revenue streams, from the oil sector, which contributes over 75 per cent of Nigeria’s FX earnings.

Nonetheless, effectively harnessing the oil revenue requires that the Niger Delta,  a region severally described as the goose that lays the golden eggs, must also be at peace and oil infrastructure across the region well secured.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had shortly after assuming office appointed Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) led by High Chief, Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to protect Nigeria’s oil assets in the Niger Delta region, a move many Nigerians view as a singular act, which will contribute positively to Nigeria’s vision of achieving $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Though the Federal Government under late former President Muhammedu Buhari started the surveillance contract with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), President Tinubu has continued to renew the contract.

The appointment was to enable TSSNL, through its security operations, to support the national economy in getting the full benefits of oil resources.

The TSSNL works in collaboration with other security outfits to achieve its goals of securing oil assets and ensuring peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

Tantita’s operations had ensured the security of oil pipelines, uninterrupted flow of petroleum resources, and ensuring that Nigeria migrated  from a position of constant loss management to stability, planning, growth and development.

In the development process of any society, certain assets contribute to the advancement of society and its people.

These assets ensure economic or monetary benefits for the people. These assets could be regarded as operating assets, non-operating assets or leased assets, among others.

The impact of TSSNL’s operations was captured in a recent survey, with majority of the respondents attributing the de-escalation of security incidents in the Niger-Delta region to the pipeline surveillance operations executed by TSSNL.

As captured in the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED), violent events declined by 20.9 per cent in the South-South geopolitical region between 2023 and 2025.

The rate of fatalities arising from such violent events in the oil rich region declined by 8.3 per cent within the same period of time.

Although the rate of similar conflicts declined by a higher margin of 26.9 per cent in the South-East region, the rate of fatalities resulting from such events increased within the region by 8.3 per cent.

The violent events tracked by ACLED within the period under review include violence against civilians, battles between the authorities and armed groups, protests, strategic developments, riots, and explosions/remote violence.

 

 What the statistics says

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s statistical body, had released the rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figure for the first time in more than a decade. It puts Nigeria’s GDP at N372.8tr in 2024, after the base year for calculating the figure was shifted to 2019. Investment drive, attractiveness to global financial markets and facilitating Nigeria’s quest for $1tr economy by 2030 are flashpoints for the rebased economy.

Adeyemi Adeniran, Nigeria’s statistician-general, explained how the economy had fared in the rebased GDP report. He said: “In nominal terms, the rebased GDP for 2019 stood at N205.09tr; N213.63tr in 2020; N243.30tr in 2021; N274.23tr in 2022; N314.02tr in 2023, and N372.82tr in 2024”.

Adeniran revealed that incorporated new and emerging sectors, consumption baskets update, and data collection refining methods helped produce a more complete picture of national output.

Udy Ntia, executive vice president of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., said during the CERAWeek conference hosted by S&P Global in Houston that “Nigeria has transformed into an investor’s haven. With the Petroleum Industry Act and robust regulatory reforms, we have already attracted $17bn in new investments.”

 

 Surveillance shows credibility in international oil market – Stakeholders

Already, the stakeholders from the Niger Delta region have expressed satisfaction with the boost in oil production, which comes as a result of pipeline surveillance, which guides against acts of vandalism and illegal crude refining.

In a published report, President General, Niger Delta Progressive Alliance, Nse Victor Udoh, said pipeline protection enabled national institutions to progress from reactive crisis management to strategic foresight, from temporary containment to durable systems-building, and from uncertainty-driven decisions to calculated national ambition.

He said: “It is important to clarify the role of pipeline surveillance within the wider energy landscape. Energy security encompasses the full value chain, from exploration and production to refining, distribution, pricing policy, and subsidy frameworks. Pipeline surveillance does not manage these domains.

“Its mandate is precise: safeguarding critical infrastructure that transports petroleum resources. Yet this single function has proven foundational. Without secure transportation channels, production targets falter, refining plans collapse, exports decline, and fiscal projections become unreliable.

“Asset protection, in this context, is not a supporting activity. It is a precondition for economic order. In effect, the pipeline is the hinge on which the entire petroleum value chain turns. When that hinge is weak, every other link in the chain carries strain. When it is secure, the entire system gains coherence.”

The immediate impact has been operational. Sustained monitoring and rapid response systems have sharply reduced pipeline breaches and illegal tapping. Receipt rates have climbed toward full recovery, with national output rising to levels not seen in recent memory.

“This redirection has restored Nigeria’s credibility in the International oil  market allowing Nigeria to reclaim market share lost to Angola and Libya.

“Economic stability follows predictability. When crude flows are secure, refineries can plan feedstock intake with assurance. Export commitments can be met without fear of sudden shortfalls. Gas-to-power projects can operate without recurrent shutdown risks.

“Investors can assess Nigeria’s petroleum sector with clearer risk profiles. Surveillance therefore does more than stop theft. It reintroduces reliability into national energy planning. And reliability is the bedrock upon which sustainable economic growth is built. With predictable flows, national budgeting becomes more credible, infrastructure planning becomes more precise, and long-term contracts become easier to negotiate. Predictability is the silent currency of modern economies, and pipeline surveillance has begun restoring it.

“Further benefits of pipeline surveillance extend into public finance. Higher accounted-for production translates directly into increased export revenues, improved foreign exchange inflows, and strengthened fiscal capacity. National oil company performance in recent years illustrates this shift toward profitability and efficiency, driven in part by reduced losses and enhanced operational continuity.

“As revenues stabilise, government budgeting gains credibility.Development planning becomes less speculative. The national economy gains breathing space to invest in infrastructure, social services, and diversification. This breathing space matters. It allows policy makers to think beyond survival and begin shaping structural reforms, industrial expansion, and long-term social investment. It also reduces dependence on emergency borrowing and short-term fiscal patchwork.” He said.

Speaking on the development, the President-General of the Isoko Development Union, Christopher Akpotu, praised the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives for dismissing petitions filed against the firm.

He described the decision as a positive step for the Niger Delta and urged stakeholders to focus on economic gains rather than internal disagreements. “That is the right way to go,” he said.

He said: “There are many opportunities in the oil and gas sector. We should focus on how to derive more benefits rather than fighting over what has already been allocated.”

Akpotu warned that continued disputes among communities could allow outsiders to take over opportunities meant for host communities. “At the end of the day, if we continue fighting, we give room to those who have no stake in our communities to take what rightfully belongs to us,” he added.