NSA unveils SOP to strengthen security of Nigeria’s oil, gas infrastructure

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday unveiled a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide government security and intelligence agencies, private surveillance contractors and other stakeholders involved in securing Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.

The document, titled ‘Standard Operating Procedure for Government Security and Intelligence Agencies, Private Surveillance Contractors and Other Stakeholders under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry-Wide Security Architecture,’ was unveiled at an event in Abuja attended by senior government officials, security and intelligence agencies and industry stakeholders.

Mr Ribadu said Nigeria’s hydrocarbon assets remained central to the country’s economic stability and national development but had been undermined by crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal refining and other criminal activities.

“These challenges informed the crucial need for a coordinated national framework built on unity of purpose, clarity of roles and operational discipline,” he said.

Mr Ribadu said the SOP was developed through consultations involving the Armed Forces of Nigeria, security and intelligence agencies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), regulators, private surveillance contractors and other stakeholders.

He said the document was designed to improve collaboration, clarify command and control, promote lawful and professional conduct, and standardise procedures for surveillance, arrests, detention and the evacuation of recovered petroleum products.

The NSA described the SOP as a practical tool for improving coordination, reducing operational conflicts, promoting accountability and protecting critical national infrastructure.

He said it would also help institutionalise the gains recorded through the industry-wide security collaboration initiative and provide a framework for sustaining them.

Why the SOP matters

In his remarks, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Ojulari, who was represented at the event, said security is fundamental to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry because of its implications for government revenue, investor confidence, operational continuity, environmental protection and the welfare of host communities.

“Every barrel safely delivered to a terminal reflects the combined effort of many institutions and people working across difficult terrain and complex operating environments,” he said.

Mr Ojulari recalled that Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production had fallen to about 950,000 barrels per day in August 2022, as major trunklines remained unavailable for extended periods and terminal receipts fell significantly below injected volumes.

He said the decline affected government revenue, industry operations, host communities and the Niger Delta environment.

According to him, the Industry-Wide Security Architecture emerged from the recognition that no single institution, operator or contractor could secure Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure independently.

He said effective protection required shared intelligence, clearly defined responsibilities, coordinated field operations and sustained engagement with host communities.

Mr Ojulari said the expansion of the security architecture had increased the number of institutions operating within the same security space, creating a need for common procedures to guide their activities.

Without a shared framework, he said, confusion could arise over command structures, incident escalation, evidence custody, reporting lines and coordination between security agencies and industry operators.

“Those who attack our national assets exploit precisely such gaps,” he said.

He said the SOP established common procedures for surveillance, intelligence sharing, incident reporting, joint operations, arrests, investigations, prosecution support, surveillance technology and the management of recovered hydrocarbons.

The document also places the Command and Control Centre at the centre of shared situational awareness and reinforces chain-of-custody procedures to help ensure that operational successes translate into credible prosecutions and convictions, Mr Ojulari said.

NNPCL seeks 60-day review window

Mr Ojulari said NNPCL supported the objectives of the SOP and the principle of a unified, intelligence-led and accountable security architecture.

However, he said some provisions required further review and proposed a 60-day window for relevant stakeholders to refine the document and secure the necessary institutional agreements.

He added that provisions assigning responsibilities to NNPCL and its partners would undergo the company’s internal review and approval processes, including consideration by its board where necessary.

“This should not be construed as a retreat from commitment. Rather, it is intended to ensure that the obligations we undertake are clear, properly authorised, sustainable and capable of effective implementation,” he said.

Mr Ojulari urged international and indigenous operators to engage with the SOP constructively, saying its success would depend on practical ownership by government agencies, operators, contractors and host communities.

He said implementation should be supported by clear accountability, continuous training, secure information exchange, periodic reviews and measurable performance indicators.

He added that the document should be assessed by its impact on personnel and community safety, infrastructure reliability, oil losses, environmental protection, production and investor confidence.

In his remarks, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, described the SOP as important to protecting Nigeria’s hydrocarbon assets, which he said were critical to the economy and national security.

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Mr Audi said the corps was carrying out its responsibility to protect the country’s oil and gas infrastructure.

He added that the NSCDC had dismissed several officers found guilty of misconduct while on duty in the Niger Delta.

In his closing remarks, Mr Ribadu said the SOP’s effectiveness would depend on its implementation and urged all participating agencies, operators and partners to disseminate its provisions to their commands, formations, field operatives and relevant personnel.

He called on stakeholders to uphold professionalism, share information, respect institutional mandates and comply with existing laws and established procedures.