Chevron Nigeria has recorded a full year without a single case of sabotage or oil theft, marking one of the company’s strongest security milestones in decades. The Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria and the Mid-Africa Business Unit, Jim Swartz, announced the development during a visit to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission headquarters in Abuja on 4 December.
According to him, the company has not experienced any pipeline breaches or theft incidents throughout 2025. He described the streak as the longest period of uninterrupted operations in Chevron’s history in Nigeria. His remarks underscored a growing confidence among international operators that the country’s oil corridor is becoming more secure.
Chevron is a leading member of the Oil Producers Trade Section of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a body that represents about thirty-one oil and gas companies responsible for roughly eighty-five per cent of Nigeria’s production. The group promotes responsible exploration and development practices that support the nation’s long-term economic goals.
Industry observers link Chevron’s recent success to the work of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, the pipeline surveillance firm led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo. Tantita’s blend of advanced monitoring tools and community-driven intelligence has proved effective in deterring illegal tapping and vandalism. Its operations have also helped stabilize national output, which has climbed steadily since 2022.
Checks within the sector show that production has reached about 1.8 million barrels per day, a significant improvement over earlier periods when output was restricted by theft and shutdowns. With the current security gains, the federal government is working toward a target of 2.06 million barrels per day as set out in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework presented by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu.
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The Chief Executive of the NUPRC welcomed Chevron’s report and credited the achievement partly to reforms introduced under President Bola Tinubu. He noted that better coordination between regulators, security agencies and private contractors has made a measurable difference in protecting critical assets.
Tantita Security Services has become a central part of this effort. Beyond safeguarding production lines and export routes, the company has provided jobs for young people across the Niger Delta. Local leaders say the employment opportunities have helped reduce tensions in communities that once struggled with unrest linked to economic hardship.
The steady rise in production and the renewed trust between operators and host communities have created a sense of optimism within the sector. For now, Chevron’s year of uninterrupted operations stands as a notable example of what coordinated security, technology and community engagement can deliver for Nigeria’s oil industry.
