Nigeria’s crude oil production is witnessing a steady rebound, driven by strengthened security operations and deeper collaboration with host communities, the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, has said.
Speaking at the Joint Petroleum Parliamentary Roundtable at the National Assembly, Pondi commended the Senate Joint Committees for organizing the session, describing it as a vital platform for addressing pressing challenges in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
He recalled that when Tantita was awarded the contract in 2022 to secure critical oil infrastructure, Nigeria’s crude oil production had dropped significantly to about 1.1 million barrels per day, including condensates.
He noted that production has since improved to approximately 1.4 million barrels per day, attributing the progress to strategic collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
“We were entrusted with this responsibility at a critical time, and we remain grateful to Mr. President for the opportunity. Without this platform, our capabilities and impact would not have been fully realized,” Pondi stated.
Emphasizing the company’s operational approach, he stressed that sustainable asset protection requires the active participation of host communities.
“At Tantita, we protect assets with the people, not from the people. Engaging individuals from the creeks, who understand the terrain, has significantly improved our results,” he said.
Pondi further noted that Nigeria’s oil production had declined from about 1.8 million barrels per day in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2021, before reaching its lowest point in 2022.
He described the recent recovery as clear evidence of the effectiveness of an inclusive security framework.
He, however, acknowledged the sacrifices made in the course of operations, revealing that personnel of Tantita, alongside members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, have lost their lives while protecting national assets.
“We have worked closely with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence Corps, Police, and other agencies. It has been a challenging journey, and we have lost soldiers, our personnel, and civil defence officers,” he added.
Despite the gains recorded, Pondi maintained that Nigeria has the potential to further increase production with sustained investment and by addressing existing operational gaps.
“We can achieve more. There are still barriers, and increased investment is essential to fully realize the President’s production targets,” he said.
He also disclosed that the company has made significant investments in technology and human capital development, while decentralizing operations to encourage broader community participation and ownership.
Pondi warned against fragmenting the current security framework, noting that such actions could undermine the progress achieved so far.
“There is no way we could have succeeded without involving all host communities. Any attempt to fragment this process will reverse the gains made, and that must be avoided,” he cautioned.
The roundtable brought together lawmakers, industry operators, and security stakeholders to explore strategies for boosting oil production and protecting critical national infrastructure.
Tantita also used the occasion to present detailed technical insights into its field operations, key challenges, and its roadmap for sustaining progress in the sector
Credit: TheStory
