From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The federal government has approved 37 new crude oil evacuation routes across Nigeria to tackle oil theft and enhance transparency in the movement of crude to export terminals.
The Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, disclosed this at the 24th Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja.
Komolafe explained that the move was part of reforms aimed at strengthening energy security, boosting government revenue, and restoring investor confidence in the upstream sector.
He noted that the new evacuation channels were approved in collaboration with security agencies to curb persistent sabotage of existing pipelines and crude transport infrastructure.
According to the NUPRC boss, Nigeria has, for years, suffered massive losses from illegal tapping and vandalism of pipelines, which have severely affected production figures and export earnings. With the new routes and tighter monitoring, he said the Commission is optimistic about reducing these losses.
In addition to physical infrastructure, Komolafe said the Commission is enforcing the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) to ensure local refineries have steady access to feedstock.
This, he explained, is part of a long-term strategy to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products and promote economic resilience.
The NUPRC boss also revealed that the regulator is cracking down on companies that fail to comply with Nigeria’s gas flare-out commitments under the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP). He said some defaulting producers have already been sanctioned for refusing to execute agreements.
On the regulatory side, Komolafe said the Commission had made progress in digitising its operations to improve efficiency, fast-track approvals, and provide real-time visibility for investors and partners.
Komolafe further announced that Nigeria has officially declared March 18 as Upstream Decarbonisation Day, a national observance to review progress on emissions reduction and promote climate-aligned growth in the oil and gas sector.
He added that the country has established a carbon tracking and monetisation framework that allows emissions reductions to become revenue-generating assets through the creation of carbon credits and a supporting ecosystem of technical and financial services.
“Protection of assets is also paramount. With 37 new evacuation routes approved and working closely with security agencies, we are curbing theft and boosting accountability.
“We are scaling up Nigeria’s production through the reawakening of dormant fields, acceleration of approvals, and enhancement of upstream efficiencies.
“Our HostComply platform has brought transparency and real, measurable benefits to oil-producing communities, fostering peace and a social licence to operate.
“We are enabling emissions reductions to become revenue streams through a new ecosystem of carbon services, including monitoring, consulting, and tech deployment, while maintaining high environmental and asset integrity.
“Nigeria is not on the sidelines of the energy future; we are shaping it,” Komolafe said.
