Nigeria’s ambitious plan to attract between $30 billion and $50 billion in offshore oil and gas investments by 2030 is putting a major spotlight on the security of the country’s petroleum infrastructure. With the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) identifying 22 major offshore projects expected to attract investment between 2026 and 2030, industry stakeholders say protecting pipelines and ensuring stable crude flows will be critical to turning investment plans into actual production.
The NUPRC expects the projects to boost crude production, create jobs, expand energy infrastructure and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security. The investment drive also supports the government’s target of increasing crude production to 2 million barrels per day by 2027 and 3 million barrels per day by 2030. Since 2024, the regulator has approved more than $57 billion in Field Development Plans, with several projects moving closer to Final Investment Decisions. But industry observers argue that approvals and policy reforms alone cannot guarantee success if oil infrastructure remains vulnerable to theft, vandalism and disruption.
This is where pipeline surveillance has become increasingly important. The Federal Government’s engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) to protect oil assets in the Niger Delta has formed part of efforts to strengthen security across the petroleum value chain. The company, led by Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, works alongside other security agencies to monitor oil infrastructure and respond to threats. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED) cited in the report showed a 20.9 percent decline in violent events in Nigeria’s South-South region between 2023 and 2025, while fatalities fell by 8.3 percent.
Technology is also changing the way Nigeria protects its oil assets. Tantita has contracted Textron Systems to provide three Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 Vertical Take-off and Landing Uncrewed Aircraft Systems to strengthen surveillance operations. The aircraft can operate without conventional runways, giving security teams greater reach across difficult and remote areas. Industry stakeholders say improved surveillance and faster responses to pipeline breaches could help make crude production more predictable, while also supporting refiners, exporters, gas-to-power projects and investors that depend on reliable petroleum supplies.
As Nigeria races to attract up to $50 billion in offshore oil investment, security is increasingly becoming part of the investment equation. Stable communities, protected pipelines and predictable crude flows could give investors greater confidence while helping the government improve export earnings, foreign exchange inflows and fiscal revenues. Beyond the financial benefits, preventing pipeline breaches and illegal refining could also reduce pollution in waterways and damage to farmland across the Niger Delta. For Nigeria, securing its oil infrastructure may therefore be just as important as attracting the money needed to develop the next generation of offshore projects.
source: Business day
