The United Niger Delta Congress (UNDC) has urged the federal government to extend the pipeline surveillance contract of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), citing reported improvements in crude oil delivery, infrastructure protection and employment across the Niger Delta.
The group said the company’s reported performance, alongside investments in host communities, justified retaining the existing arrangement to sustain oil production gains and protect jobs in the region.
The call followed a report by the technical subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, which investigated a petition against PINL and Osahon Okunbo, its managing director.
According to the UNDC, the subcommittee found the allegations against the company and its leadership unsubstantiated and recommended that the petition be dismissed, further investigation discontinued and PINL’s contract extended.
In a note, the group said continuity in pipeline surveillance would help consolidate reported gains in crude oil production, protect petroleum infrastructure and strengthen confidence among businesses operating in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It highlighted an increase in crude oil deliveries through the Trans Niger Pipeline to the Bonny Terminal, from three percent when PINL commenced operations in August 2022 to 98 percent by September 2026.
It also said Oil Mining Lease 11, which had been shut in for 18 months, resumed operations within 90 days of PINL’s engagement.
The group noted that the company had facilitated the remediation of 2,049 illegal pipeline connections and the destruction of 1,010 illegal refinery clusters, while conducting surveillance across 215 host communities.
Beyond infrastructure protection, the UNDC said PINL had employed more than 35,600 surveillance guards drawn from Niger Delta communities, providing incomes for residents and creating alternatives to illegal oil-related activities.
It said the company operated 28 forward bases, 130 boats, 175 vehicles and 25 drones to support surveillance across the region’s waterways and creeks.
Furthermore, UNDC noted more than 5,000 scholarships have been awarded to children from host communities and skills training provided to over 4,000 women and girls. It added that PINL had supported flood relief efforts in more than 10 communities in Rivers State.
According to the note, these interventions demonstrate how pipeline surveillance arrangements can extend beyond security to support livelihoods, skills development and economic activity in oil-producing communities.
Therefore, UNDC reiterated that extending PINL’s contract would preserve the workforce and community relationships developed since the company’s engagement, warning that an interruption could weaken existing pipeline protection structures in the Eastern corridor.
It also said contract continuity could reinforce investor confidence by demonstrating that performance and operational results influence government contracting decisions.
It urged the federal government to consider the subcommittee’s reported recommendations and sustain measures aimed at improving crude oil production, protecting critical infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities in host communities.
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Feyishola Jaiyesimi is a writer and storyteller. She currently writes for the energy desk at BusinessDay with a focus on renewable energy and environmental issues. She began her journalism career as an agricultural reporter and now covers the energy sector, including oil, gas, electricity, environment, and renewables. She has been selected for professional training by the US Consulate, Lagos. She is a 2025 Dataphyte Biodiversity Reporting Fellow. Feyishola holds a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Environmental Biology from Ekiti State University.
