Nigeria’s production output yet to match her potential – NNPCL GCEO

…Every worker deserves secure environment – Osifo

…Says gas flaring, polluted environment must stop

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — THE Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, on Wednesday said despite abundant reserves, Nigeria’s oil production output has not matched her potential and called for a change of that narrative.

This is as the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo has said that it’s imperative that every worker, especially in the oil and gas sector deserves a safe environment.

He also gave a stern warning that gas flaring and polluted environment by the operators in the oil and gas industry must stop.

Both the NNPCL GCEO and Osifo spoke at the 4th PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit, PEALS in Abuja with the theme: “Building a Resilient Oil and Gas Sector in Nigeria: Advancing HSE, ESG, Investment, and Incremental Production,”

The NNPCL GCEO in his keynote address said: “At NNPC Limited, we are focusing on rigorous field development, improving security in the Niger Delta, reducing leakages, and unlocking stranded assets. Through partnerships, data-driven decisions, and innovation, we aim to incrementally grow our daily production to sustainable levels.”

At the summit which attracted senior government officials, captains of industry, labour leaders, and distinguished stakeholders from across Nigeria’s energy sector, Ojulari emphasized the urgent need for resilience in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, citing the rapidly changing global energy landscape driven by dual imperatives of energy security and energy transition.

He affirmed that for Nigeria, resilience is not optional but a national responsibility underpinned by operational excellence, fiscal discipline, regulatory compliance, and people-centric leadership.

He described health, safety and environment as the bedrock of sectoral resilience, highlighting the NNPC Limited’s commitment to embedding a “zero harm” culture, strengthening incident reporting systems, and prioritizing the safety and well-being of employees and host communities.

He said environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are critical to building trust and long-term value, stressing that the NNPC limited’s energy transition roadmap is aimed at reducing the company’s carbon footprint, investing in gas as a transition fuel, and enhancing transparency.

He further stated that the company is intensifying social impact initiatives focused on education, healthcare, and youth empowerment in host communities.

The GCEO called for the creation of an attractive and stable investment climate underpinned by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), adding that the NNPCL new business model is focused on value creation and competitiveness, including asset monetization, infrastructure investments, and public-private partnerships.

The GCEO called for collective efforts by labour, government, and industry to provide policy coherence and stakeholder alignment to de-risk the sector and attract both local and international capital.

Addressing the challenge of production levels, the GCEO said: “Despite abundant reserves, Nigeria’s production output has not matched our potential. We must change that narrative. Every barrel counts. Every molecule of gas counts. Incremental production will not come from one big move, but from many smart, coordinated actions across the value chain.”

He praised PENGASSAN’s historic role in workforce development and industry protection, urging the union and all participants to remain constructive and forward-looking in building a sustainable and thriving Nigerian oil and gas sector.

In his welcome address, the PENGASSAN President, Osifo, who doubles as President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC reflected on the summit’s impactful journey, highlighting its role in tackling pressing industry challenges such as gas development, energy transition, AI integration, and crude theft.

Osifo stressed that the true measure of progress is ensuring every worker returns home safely and condemned unsafe practices depicted in a recent video from an oil installation in Nigeria, where workers were seen performing hazardous tasks without proper equipment—an aberration that risked lives and led to strikes due to management’s inadequate response.

He said: “The true measure of stewardship is ensuring every worker returns home safely. Unsafe conditions must never be the price of resilience.

“From the creeks to offshore platforms, every worker deserves a secure environment, robust safety processes, continuous training, advanced technologies, and transparent reporting.

“Protecting our rivers, lands, and air is non-negotiable. Gas flaring must end. Polluted sites must be restored. Accountability must be enforced for today, and for generations to come. Sadly, some platforms remain unsafe, with operators cutting corners at the expense of lives. Although these are isolated cases, every life matters.”

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