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World leaders to help stem crude oil theft in Nigeria
ABUJA – The Nigerian government says it has obtained assurances from world leaders to help stem the incidence of crude oil theft in the Niger delta which accounts for loses in excess of 200,000 barrels per day.
In a keynote address delivered at the CWC-organized Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, Alison-Madueke said the federal government is championing the crude oil finger print to detect crude oil theft purchased by other nations as well as seeking the support of the global community.
She said President Goodluck Jonathan has held talks with world leaders, including UK Prime Minister David Cameron, to help stem crude theft in the Niger Delta, minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has disclosed.
“We already have Mr. President meeting with David Cameron in England a week ago and it came up there.
“They have already pledged to assist us fully in dealing with this and as the structures are put in place, they will begin to come on board, they are very ardent at joining us to actually rid ourselves of these particular scourge but I cannot begin to list the countries right now,” she said.
Oil theft, known in Nigeria as bunkering, is a major reason Africa’s top producer has been unable to produce anywhere near its installed capacity of around 3.2 million b/d and deprives the country of revenues estimated at more than $7 billion a year.
Shell’s country chair for Nigeria Mutiu Sunmonu also speaking at the conference said the lucrative business of oil theft continues to underscore the perennial problems of insecurity in the Niger Delta region.
“Militancy has been replaced by industrial-scale oil theft,” Sunmonu said.
Alison-Madueke further warned that Nigeria is coming under increasing competitive pressure from US Gulf Coast refiners cutting imports in favor of domestically-produced crude.
US purchases of crude fell to a five-year low in the last few months, pushing Nigeria to sixth position from fifth among suppliers to the world’s largest consumer.
“US shale oil and an increase in their gas production is already affecting our exports to the United States. Bear in mind that the United States is one of our major importers in this sector,” the minister said.
Sunmonu also said the discovery of shale gas in the US has not only led to the decline in the demand for Nigeria’s crude but also poses a threat for other producers.
“This path towards self-sufficiency [by the US] has been there for a long time and it poses a serious challenge to oil producers from sub-Saharan African like Nigeria,” he said.
The Paris-based International Energy Agency says the US could become the world’s biggest oil producer by 2017.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have disclosed details of their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, explaining that the engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification came amid speculation surrounding the meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leaders of several opposition parties attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the president earlier in the week.
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Speaking during a gathering hosted in Abuja by the SDP’s former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the meeting with Tinubu followed an official invitation from the Presidency and lasted about an hour.
According to Gombe, the discussion centred on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
He explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for party leaders to remind the president of the importance of conducting transparent, free, and credible elections.
Gombe noted that democracy can only thrive when governments listen to the concerns of citizens and ensure electoral processes that guarantee fairness and accountability.
The SDP chairman also expressed concern over growing voter apathy, pointing to the low turnout recorded in the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the Abuja Municipal Area Council election witnessed only about seven per cent voter turnout, which he described as a clear sign that many Nigerians are losing confidence in the electoral system.
Gombe urged the government and members of the National Assembly to take urgent steps to review electoral laws and rebuild public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, said political parties used the meeting to raise concerns about aspects of proposed electoral reforms, particularly issues related to indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Dantalle explained that the parties appealed to the president to use his influence to encourage legislative review where necessary, noting that reforms should strengthen, rather than complicate, the democratic process.
He expressed optimism that Tinubu would consider the concerns raised and support necessary amendments that would improve the electoral system.
The IPAC chairman also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to electoral guidelines as preparations for the next election cycle begin.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo cautioned political actors against turning the 2027 general elections into a do-or-die contest, stressing that the primary goal of democracy should be the progress and stability of Nigeria rather than personal political victories.
He urged leaders across political parties to encourage citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully and transparently.
President Bola Tinubu and Mr. Taiwo Oyedele during his nomination on Wednesday.
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