Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Nigeria’s drive to become Africa’s energy hub received a fresh boost yesterday, as Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) said improved pipeline security is strengthening investor confidence, supporting major gas infrastructure projects and contributing to rising oil and gas sector performance. Speaking at the company’s August 2026 Stakeholders Engagement Forum, the General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said sustained collaboration among host communities, security agencies and government institutions had significantly improved the protection of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), the Eastern Gas Network and other critical national assets. He said the improved security environment comes at a time Nigeria is recording major milestones in the energy sector, including the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the 6,900-kilometre African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), which will transport 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually from Nigeria to Morocco through 13 West African coastal countries. According to him, the project, jointly promoted by NNPC Limited and Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), underscores the need for secure energy infrastructure. “World-class energy infrastructure can only thrive where pipelines are secure, communities are peaceful and stakeholders work together,” Mezeh said. He also highlighted NNPC Limited’s June 2026 operational performance, which showed a Profit After Tax of N535 billion, representing a 16 per cent increase over the N462 billion recorded in May, while revenue rose to about N4.39 trillion. Statutory remittances to the Federation Account reached N6.286 trillion in the first half of the year. Although crude oil production dipped slightly to 1.72 million barrels per day, natural gas output climbed to about 7.84 billion standard cubic feet per day. Mezeh disclosed that Nigeria’s strategic gas projects are nearing completion, with the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline now 98 per cent completed ahead of first gas this month, while the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline has reached 94 percent completion. He added that NNPC recently secured more than $20 billion worth of Gas Sale and Purchase Agreements covering over two billion standard cubic feet of gas daily for both LNG exports and domestic industrial supply, including partnerships involving the Dangote Refinery. Despite the progress, he warned that attempted sabotage, vandalism and equipment failures were still recorded in some operational areas over the past month, although prompt interventions ensured repairs and arrests of suspects. Meanwhile, the Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, NNPC Project Monitoring Office, Akponime Omojevwhe, commended host communities for supporting pipeline surveillance, revealing that two operational zones recorded zero incidents between January and June. He urged other communities to emulate the achievement, stressing that timely intelligence and grassroots participation remain critical to safeguarding national assets. Chairman of the South-South Monarchs Forum, King Sergeant Awuse, praised PINL for transforming pipeline security through community engagement, saying incidents of vandalism had reduced significantly since the company assumed responsibility for protecting the assets. Awuse also urged the federal government to sustain support for the company, noting that improved pipeline security has contributed to higher oil production and increased national revenue. Women leader from Ohaji-Egbema, Violet Asor, lauded PINL’s scholarship, empowerment and welfare programmes but called for greater inclusion of women and more employment opportunities for youths and women in host communities.
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