By John Ikani
Nigeria is once again the reigning king of African crude oil production, according to the latest report from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The West African nation produced a whopping 1,235 million barrels of crude oil daily in December 2022, outpacing Angola’s 1,088 barrels and Algeria’s 1,099 million barrels per day.
“According to secondary sources, total OPEC-13 crude oil production averaged 28.97 mb/d in December 2022, higher by 91 tb/d m-o-m. Crude oil output increased mainly in Nigeria, Angola, Libya and Venezuela, while production in Kuwait, Congo and Algeria declined,” part of the report said.
But what brought about this resurgence in Nigeria’s oil output? Some industry experts point to the involvement of former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, more commonly known as Tompolo.
Tompolo secured a pipeline surveillance contract from the Nigerian Government, and his team has been instrumental in tracing and destroying large barges of illegal crude oil and locating illegal oil pipelines running into the sea.
“Tompolo’s efforts have been a game changer for Nigeria’s oil industry,” said one industry insider. “His team’s success in tackling oil theft has helped to stabilize production and boost output.”
The Nigerian Government, on its part, has set a 2023 benchmark crude oil rate of 1.69 million barrels per day.
With Tompolo’s continued efforts in the fight against oil theft and the government’s commitment to increasing production, it looks like Nigeria’s reign as Africa’s top crude oil producer is here to stay.
