The federal government has announced for the first time in many years, that it met the oil and gas sector revenue benchmark for year 2025.
The announcement, made by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) attributed the milestone to a sustained peace in the Niger Delta region championed by operations of security agencies and pipeline surveillance contractors like Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), among others.
Recall that Dare Adekanmbi, the spokesman for FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zach Adedeji confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the Adekanmbi, the FIRS Chairman made the announcement when he received the delegation of military top brass led by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.
Adedeji had noted that the improved security situation in oil-producing areas had boosted production, resulting in greater profitability for companies in the sector and higher tax revenue for the nation.
“The coordinating director of the Large Tax Group made a presentation at our management meeting today on tax collection to date, and I am glad to say that, for the first time in a long while, we met our oil and gas target,” Adedeji said.
“This is actually as a result of the peace that has been maintained where oil and gas facilities are located. Production is happening, and companies are making more profit from it.”
He commended the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their contribution to maintaining stability, noting that the success aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to “taxing prosperity and not poverty.”
“Prosperity can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace. The Armed Forces are critical stakeholders and central to sustaining peace in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Manager Community and Stakeholders Relations of PINL, Dr Akpos Mezeh, at a monthly engagement with pipeline host communities from Rivers, Abia and Imo States, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, acknowledged that its activities contributed to the attainment of the nations oil revenue target.
Mezeh attributed the success to the robust partnership between the company and its host communities, and the consistent application of proven strategies by the company.
“PINL recorded zero infraction in the past month contributing to increased national crude oil production. Federal Government has met its 2025 oil and gas sector revenue due to peace and stability in the communities hosting oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta, which the Chairman of FIRS has confirmed.
“These results underscore the strength and effectiveness of our partnership, which can be attributed to consistent application of proven strategies such as safety measures for surveillance personnel, timely salary payments, rapid dispute resolution within communities, amongst others, which combined efforts have resulted in reduced downtime and increased trust,” he stated.
Mezeh stressed some of the company’s achievements to include interventions in an oil spill location in Yorla, Kpean community in Khana local government area and bursting of illegal bunkering sites in Umubule and Oyigbo communities both in Rivers State.
He reiterated PINL’s commitment to sustainable energy security in the country, calling for support from all stakeholders.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to sustainable energy security, in full alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government. We have a shared responsibility to rescue our economy from further bleeding, and achieving this goal requires that all hands remain on deck.
“We look forward to your honest and constructive feedback on how we can sustain and surpass our outstanding records in combating pipeline vandalism, oil theft, and environmental pollution,” he said.
Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor of the Project Monitoring Office, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Engr Akponine Omojevwe called for effective collaboration between the host communities and PINL.
“There must be collaboration between PINL and the communities. PINL has gone the extra mile by approving scholarships for the host communities, they have gone out to make sure their areas of operations benefit from their activities, let us make sure that in this task of securing the pipelines, we support them, don’t destroy their equipments,” he urged.
