The Office of the National Security Adviser has unveiled a new operational framework to coordinate security agencies, private surveillance contractors and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, following the recovery of more than 2.4 million barrels of stolen crude oil.
The framework, known as the Standard Operating Procedure for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry-Wide Security Architecture, is designed to harmonise security operations, establish clear responsibilities and improve collaboration among government security agencies, private surveillance contractors and other stakeholders.
This was as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited revealed that the industry-wide security collaboration had also led to the deactivation of more than 10,000 illegal refineries and refining sites, the removal of nearly 7,000 illegal pipeline connections and the arrest of over 3,700 suspects.
Speaking at the official unveiling of the SOP at the ONSA headquarters on Monday in Abuja, the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, said Nigeria’s hydrocarbon assets remained central to the country’s economic stability, national development and strategic resilience.
He said the procedure was designed to consolidate these gains by establishing common rules for agencies and other stakeholders involved in protecting the country’s critical petroleum infrastructure.
The framework seeks to address longstanding challenges associated with crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal refining and overlapping security operations, which have undermined production, government revenue and environmental protection.
Ribadu said the document was developed through consultations involving the Armed Forces, security and intelligence agencies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, regulators, private surveillance contractors and other industry stakeholders.
He said, “This SOP is therefore not merely an administrative document. It is a practical instrument for enhancing synergy, reducing operational friction, promoting accountability and protecting critical national infrastructure connected to our hydrocarbon resources.
“It also reflects our determination to institutionalise the gains already recorded through the industry-wide security collaboration initiative and to provide a durable framework for sustaining those gains.”
The NSA stressed that the effectiveness of the framework would depend on its implementation, urging participating institutions to circulate its provisions among their commands, field operatives and relevant personnel.
He added, “We must all remain committed to professionalism, information sharing, mutual respect for mandates and strict adherence to extant laws and established procedures.”
The PUNCH gathered that work on the document began about two years ago, with the process running from May 8 to September 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Ojulari, the company’s representative, Dahiru Gwarzo, said the framework marked an important step towards protecting oil and gas assets through coordinated operations.
He said security was central to national revenue, investor confidence, uninterrupted industry operations, environmental protection and the welfare of host communities.
“In our industry, security is not a peripheral matter; it is fundamental to national revenue, investor confidence, operator continuity, environmental stewardship and the well-being of the host communities that host our assets.
“Every barrel safely delivered to the terminal reflects the combined efforts of many institutions and people working across difficult terrain and a very complex operating environment,” Gwarzo said.
He commended Ribadu and his team for the leadership and consultations that produced the framework, while acknowledging the sacrifices of security personnel deployed across pipeline corridors and production areas.
Gwarzo recalled that Nigeria’s crude oil production fell to about 950,000 barrels per day in August 2022, when major trunk pipelines remained unavailable for extended periods and terminal receipts fell significantly below injected volumes.
The consequences, he said, affected government revenue, industry operations, host communities and the environment in the Niger Delta.
He said the experience reinforced the need for collective action, adding that no single institution or operator could independently secure the country’s oil and gas infrastructure.
The NNPC representative said operators, regulators and security agencies had increasingly worked together through a round-the-clock command and control centre, contributing to the recovery of stolen crude and the dismantling of illegal refining operations.
Also speaking, Olufemi Akinjobi, who represented the Minister of Defence, said the new procedures would improve cooperation among security agencies and reduce operational risks.
He said increased collaboration had contributed to improvements in the oil and gas industry, expressing support for a common framework to guide security operations.
The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abubakar Audi, said the document would help regulate personnel conduct and strengthen accountability in the protection of petroleum infrastructure.
Audi said the corps would align its operations with the new procedures, noting that personnel had been arrested, prosecuted or sanctioned for misconduct.
“We have made arrests and convictions. We have also sanctioned some staff, about 100, for misconduct. This document will further regulate the conduct of staff. Implementation is easier with the document,” he said.
He described the initiative as important to achieving the Federal Government’s objectives and pledged the corps’ commitment to its implementation.
The Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Hafsat Bakari, also endorsed the framework, describing it as a technical and compliance milestone.
She called for a sound legal and monitoring structure to measure its effectiveness, alongside a feedback mechanism that would enable stakeholders to assess implementation and address gaps.
Bakari said the NFIU fully supported the initiative, stressing the importance of assessing its outcomes rather than limiting attention to the adoption of the document.
The launch comes amid continuing efforts to improve Nigeria’s oil production, curb crude theft and protect pipelines and other petroleum assets. By standardising surveillance, arrests, detention procedures and the evacuation of recovered petroleum products, the framework is expected to clarify responsibilities and reduce friction among the institutions involved in oil and gas security.
Its long-term impact, however, will depend on compliance by participating agencies, effective oversight and sustained cooperation across the industry.