NNPCL Sets 2026 Production Goal at 2.06 Million BPD, Minister Praises Community Engagement with PINL

By 2026, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) hopes to produce more than two million barrels of crude oil every day.

At the monthly stakeholders meeting with host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) held by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) in Port Harcourt, Engineer Akponime Omojevwhe, Head Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office (PMO NNPCL), revealed the information.

The budget for 2026 is aimed at 2.80 mbpd, he added.
Omojevwe stated that the communities and stakeholders’ cooperation with PINL is responsible for the TNP’s current optimal production.

“I want to sincerely thank all of our stakeholders on this corridor because, as of right now, the TNP is green, which indicates that the products are flowing uninterrupted,” he stated.

The budget starts at 1.84 mbpd, but our projected estimate is 2.06 mbpd. Secondly, I would like to mention that our budget for 2026 is set at 2.80 mbpd.

We therefore want to express our desire for your forbearance, so please don’t give up, even as the year 2026 approaches. We have united to make sure that the forecast is increasing.

The NNPCL representative emphasized the significance of communities and stakeholders in pipeline security, pointing out that no private security firm can succeed without their cooperation.

Communities play a crucial role in this work. Therefore, we must always be grateful to the community leaders, including chiefs, CDCs, youth presidents, and female leaders, since without them spreading our messages to the local population, there won’t be anything like green in terms of the pipeline.

Thus, our message is clear: we value you and will continue to support PINL initiatives as you have been doing,” he begged.

Edi Julius, who spoke at the gathering on behalf of Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State (Oil), expressed gratitude for the cooperation between the communities and PINL, emphasizing its influence on the nation’s oil production output.

“The minister of petroleum resources sincerely appreciates what the communities are doing because I think production won’t increase without peace from your domain.

We can all attest to the production level now, and it is so ambitious for 2026 that we will reach the goal of producing more than two million barrels per day.

“Those things that will increase revenue for both the government and PINL so that they can reach out to you,” he said.

Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations, PINL, stated in his speech that the meeting allows the company to assess its progress in combating pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, as well as to honor, celebrate, and show gratitude to important stakeholders, particularly leaders of host communities, for their support and dedication, which he claimed have maintained the nation’s economic stability.

He highlighted its accomplishments in the previous year, which included strengthening grassroots communication with the launch of the Town Crier Initiative (TCI), expanding community and stakeholder inclusion, human empowerment with a focus on women and students, and deepening security operations to include all oil and gas infrastructures close to the TNP.

Other accomplishments he mentioned were 0% unlawful bunkering, ongoing, regular stakeholder engagement, and increased trust between PINL and host communities.

Even as they anticipate 2026, Dr. Mezeh urged greater cooperation with the host communities.

“Let’s keep safeguarding our country’s resources, empowering our citizens, and bolstering regional and national prosperity.”

May our cooperation grow, our solidarity be reinforced, and our unwavering dedication to peace and advancement continue as we enter 2026,” he pleaded.

Additionally, the PINL official announced Christmas palliatives for the 215 TNP host villages via this means.
His Majesty King Philip Osaro Obele, a prominent member of the host community, urged the Federal Government to undertake more developments in the villages now that they are reaping the benefits of higher oil production revenue.

Additionally, he praised PINL for holding frequent meetings with them to inform the communities about its activities.