Energy
Oil Production: National Assembly Pledges Support To NNPC Ltd
The National Assembly has thrown its weight behind NNPC Limited’s ongoing efforts to boost Nigeria’s crude oil production and grow its reserves.
It was gathered that the national legislature was minded towards enacting laws to provide for stiffer consequences for crude oil thieves and vandals of the nation’s critical hydrocarbon infrastructure.
This was made known when the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) paid an oversight visit on the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), an upstream arm of the NNPC Ltd, at its headquarters in Lagos, on Tuesday.
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Led by the Committee Chairmen from both chambers, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams and Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the legislators described the menace of crude oil theft and vandalism of critical oil and gas infrastructure as major challenges to Nigeria’s revenue generation and budget targets, which must be curtailed.
In his remarks, Senator Williams said it was imperative for the National Assembly to come up with legislative action that will help stop crude oil theft and increase Nigeria’s crude oil production.
He said from what they found at NUIMS, it is duty-bound on the legislature to come up with decisive measures that will help the government to achieve its set targets in the oil and gas sector.
On his part, Hon. Doguwa pointed out that by virtue of their duties as a legislature, the lawmakers will fast-track the strengthening of a legislative framework to be able to check the excesses bedeviling the nation’s oil and gas sector.
Hon Doguwa, who commended NNPC Ltd’s efforts for its industry-wide security collaboration against the nation’s hydrocarbon infrastructure said more needs to be done to ensure the Company increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and grow its reserves.
He said the legislature will consider deploying the stick and carrot approach towards addressing the issue, but where it becomes necessary, the stick approach must be emphasised to rise vehemently against any encumbrance standing in the way of Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
Earlier in his detailed presentation to the lawmakers, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer (CUIO) of NNPC Ltd, Bala Wunti described NUIMS as a trustee of Nigeria’s upstream investments which ensures the country maximises returns through effective supervision of its Joint Venture (JV), Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) and Service Contracts (SC) operating partners.
Wunti, who commended the lawmakers for their consistent support to the NNPC Ltd, said engagements with the National Assembly are crucial as they will help the NNPC Ltd in the attainment of its mandate.
“We are here to see how the NASS will help us produce more barrels and deliver value to our shareholders. Increasing production is the new narrative and your support is needed to enable us achieve our set targets based on our key principles of safety, speed, compliance and efficiency,” Wunti informed the legislators.
He said so far, the industry-wide security collaboration against crude oil theft and vandalism of Nigeria’s critical hydrocarbon infrastructure through the four-way strategy of “Detect, Deter, Respond and Recover” have been instrumental in the recent restoration of some of the nation’s lost barrels.
The Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has completed the turnaround maintenance on the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, leading to resumption of production at Nigeria’s premier deepwater field on March 6, 2026.
Biztellers reports that the project was delivered 11 days ahead of schedule and without any safety incident, reinforcing SNEPCo’s longstanding commitment to operational excellence and asset integrity.
“Completing the turnaround safely and ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Nigerian workforce and the helpful support of our partners,” SNEPCo Managing Director Ronald Adams said. “The achievement not only secures the long‑term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO.”
The exercise which began on February 1, 2026, highlights SNEPCo’s leading role in advancing deep‑water expertise in Nigeria. Of the 55 companies involved in the execution, 43 were wholly Nigerian. Additionally, eight of the 12 international service providers maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to knowledge transfer and increased local investments.
More than 1,000 personnel worked offshore during the turnaround, with over 95% being Nigerians involved in maintenance, engineering, operations, inspection and construction. Thousands more supported activities from onshore locations, reflecting the depth of Nigerian capability in offshore oil and gas operations.
Adams added: “We acknowledge the support of several stakeholders towards the successful execution of the exercise, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and our partners.”
Modupe Asudo
Sahara Group, a leading global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has commissioned MT Asharami Ghana, a 40,000‑cubic‑metre Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, expanding its fleet capacity, while strengthening Ghana’s clean energy supply chain and LPG distribution network.
The dual‑fuel vessel improves operational efficiency, enhances supply reliability, and supports lower‑emission LPG logistics as consumption grows across Ghana and the wider sub‑region.
Ghanaian President Mahama and Sahara Executive Directors
Speaking at the commissioning in Ulsan, South Korea, President John Dramani Mahama described the vessel as “a significant milestone in strengthening the infrastructure that underpins the global LPG supply chain,” noting that expanded shipping capacity is critical to improving supply security, reliability and efficiency for countries that rely partly on LPG imports.
He commended Sahara Group, WAGL Energy and all partners involved for their “leadership, technical expertise and strategic foresight,” adding that the project reflects “the power of partnership” in advancing safe, efficient, and responsible energy distribution.
President Mahama wished the MT Asharami Ghana safe sails, expressing confidence that the vessel would inspire further investment and collaboration across Africa’s energy value chain.
According to Wale Ajibade, Executive Director, Sahara Group, the vessel supports Ghana’s clean energy ambitions through integrated infrastructure.
“MT Asharami Ghana is more than a vessel; it is part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen LPG supply security and support Ghana’s clean energy ambitions. It secures an additional 25,000-Metric-tonne stock security for the Ghana economy, alongside the soon to be commissioned 6000-metric-tonee of 12.000-metric-tonne land storage in Tema,” he said.
With the addition of Asharami Ghana, Sahara Group’s LPG carrier fleet now comprises six delivered vessels with a combined capacity of 202,000 cubic metres. Supported by partnerships with WAGL Energy, NNPC Limited and other stakeholders, an additional 270,000 cubic metres of capacity is under construction and due for delivery by September 2028.
Temitope Shonubi, Executive Director, Sahara Group, said Asharami Ghana is part of Sahara’s integrated LPG infrastructure strategy spanning shipping, storage, and downstream distribution globally, including the development of a 12,000‑metric‑tonne land‑based LPG storage terminal in Tema, with a 6,000‑metric‑tonne first phase scheduled for completion in May 2026.
He thanked Yaa Serwaa Alifo, MD of Asharami Ghana, for her resilience and insistence to dedicate a ship of “this magnitude solely to the Ghana Market and its landlocked neighbours.”
Ghana is targeting LPG adoption of 50 per cent of households by 2030, up from about 30 per cent today. Sahara’s investments will support clean energy access for more than 35 million people, while strengthening Ghana’s role in regional LPG trade to neighbouring and landlocked West African markets.
The commissioning comes in Sahara Group’s 30th anniversary year, guided by the Sahara Beyond XXX milestone, underscoring Sahara’s focus on building an enduring enterprise that delivers responsible growth, shared prosperity and long‑term impact across its markets.
Nigeria’s crude oil production dropped to 1.31 million barrels per day in February, even as local refineries continue to grapple with inadequate domestic crude supply needed to sustain operations.
The development shows that Nigeria again failed to meet its crude oil production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day approved by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as output declined sharply in February 2026.
Data from OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report, based on direct communication from member countries, showed that Nigeria produced 1.314 million barrels per day in February, down from 1.459 mbpd recorded in January.
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The figures indicate a month-on-month decline of 146,000 barrels per day, widening the country’s shortfall from its OPEC production allocation.
Nigeria’s inability to meet its OPEC production quota is not only affecting its oil export earnings but also adversely impacting domestic refineries that are starved of feedstock for their operations.
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