AGS NEWS – The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) aims to boost crude oil production to two million barrels per day by the end of the year.

According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the country’s daily production increased from 1.27 million barrels in June to 1.6 million in July.

During a meeting with Maritime Stakeholders at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters on Tuesday, NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, represented by Pipeline NNPC Managing Director Folorunsho Karim, expressed confidence in achieving this target.

He emphasized NNPC’s commitment and urged security agencies to continue their efforts against oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Kyari said, “We are fully committed to increasing production to two million barrels by year-end.

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The support of the Nigerian Navy has been crucial in reducing oil theft and pipeline vandalism. We hope to sustain this progress to meet our target.”

Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of the Naval Staff, acknowledged the security challenges Nigeria faces, including oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

He noted these issues are exacerbated by the proliferation of small arms, communal clashes, poverty, and unemployment.

Ogalla emphasized the need for stakeholder support in developing the nation’s blue economy, driven by the Petroleum Industry Act.

He assured that the Navy’s operations are designed to support rather than hinder business activities, promoting ease of doing business by providing security and conducting swift investigations to avoid disrupting legitimate operations.