The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has revealed that the Federal Government is committed to boosting oil production in the Niger Delta region, with a target of 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd).

The CDS, who convened an Oil and Gas stakeholders’ meeting aimed at tackling the challenges affecting optimised oil production in Nigeria yesterday in Port Harcourt, emphasised the importance of effective stakeholder engagement in sustaining oil and gas operations in the country. He noted that oil production is critical for socio-economic development, stressing that recent efforts have led to a significant increase in production, with current output exceeding 1.8 million bpd.

The meeting, which brought together representatives from various stakeholders, including the government, oil companies, and local communities, was expected to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on lessons learned, assess ongoing initiatives, and craft pragmatic pathways to success.

In his opening remarks, Musa stated that President Bola Tinubu gave a mandate to ensure the target of 2.5 million bpd is met. He stressed that more collective effort is required to achieve the overall goal of meeting Tinubu’s directive, urging participants to be honest and objective in outlining the challenges, ensuring that strategies are inclusive, comprehensive and realistic.

While speaking to newsmen on the outcome of their closed-door meeting, Musa explained that the whole essence of the meeting was to reassess activities in the Niger Delta, particularly as they affect oil and gas production. He admitted that while some success was achieved in the previous year, more needs to be done to improve the situation, emphasising the importance of synergy among all organisations, security agencies, private companies, and local communities to achieve the target.

Musa also highlighted the need for non-kinetic efforts, which involve working with local communities to protect oil facilities. He explained that when communities have a stake in the facilities, they are more likely to protect them from vandalism. This approach has been successful in other regions, including the North-East, North-West, and North-Central.

The CDS also addressed the issue of pipeline vandalism, stressing that it is not beneficial to anyone and can have severe consequences. He urged Nigerians, particularly those in communities around oil-producing areas, to cooperate with the government to ensure the success of the oil production target.