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Daniel Adaji
Nigeria lost approximately $1.91 million to oil theft between January and December 2024, as a total of 3,747,602 litres of crude oil were stolen within the period, according to data obtained from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) on Tuesday.
At an average price of $80.4 per barrel, the loss translates to about N2.98bn, using the 2024 exchange rate of N1,560/$.
The NOSDRA report revealed that 29,498.889 barrels (4,660,824.443 litres) of crude oil were spilled across Nigeria in 2024, amounting to the equivalent of 147 oil tanker trucks filled with crude.
The volume of crude oil stolen monthly fluctuated significantly, with the highest losses recorded in May (8,674 barrels), April (2,441 barrels), and November (4,330 barrels). In contrast, September (243 barrels) and August (309 barrels) recorded the lowest theft volumes.
A total of 933 oil spill incidents were documented during the 12-month period. However, NOSDRA noted concerns over the lack of investigation and transparency in many cases.
Forty-eight oil spills were not inspected by a Joint Investigation Team, while 421 spills had no official volume estimates provided by the responsible companies. In addition, 425 spills could not be categorised based on severity.
From the documented cases, two major oil spills involved over 250 barrels into inland waters or 2,500 barrels on land, swamp, shoreline, or open sea.
Seventeen medium oil spills involved 25 to 250 barrels in inland waters or 250 to 2,500 barrels on land, while 482 minor spills were recorded, with 362 of them involving less than 10 barrels each.
NOSDRA’s data further outlined the performance of oil companies regarding oil spills, showing the number of incidents attributed to each company and their respective spill volumes.
The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) recorded 335 spills, amounting to 3,018 barrels. Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) had 289 spills, with a total spill volume of 14,540 barrels.
Heirs Energies Limited recorded 50 spills amounting to 575 barrels, while OANDO had 45 spills totaling 493 barrels.
Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NEPL) reported 41 spills, amounting to 2,278 barrels, while SEPLAT recorded 36 spills with a spill volume of 216 barrels.
Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) recorded 30 spills with just one barrel lost, while Heritage Energy had 28 spills amounting to 438 barrels. Chevron had 13 spills with a total volume of 17 barrels, ESSO recorded 8 spills but with no crude lost, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) reported 6 spills totaling 7 barrels, and Midwestern Oil & Gas recorded 5 spills amounting to 2 barrels.
Oil theft and pipeline vandalism remain major challenges for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, affecting revenue generation and environmental sustainability. Despite various government efforts, the persistent rise in oil-related crimes underscores the need for enhanced surveillance, stronger penalties, and better accountability among oil operators.