Banner Online News

The Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, on Tuesday informed lawmakers and stakeholders that Nigeria’s gradual recovery in crude oil production is largely due to improved security coordination and active community participation in protecting oil and gas assets.

Speaking at the Joint Petroleum Parliamentary Roundtable held at the National Assembly, Pondi commended the Senate Joint Committees for organizing the session, calling it a vital platform to address challenges facing the nation’s oil and gas industry.

He recalled that in 2022, when Tantita was awarded the contract to secure critical oil infrastructure, Nigeria’s crude oil production had fallen sharply to about 1.1 million barrels per day, including condensates. According to him, output has since rebounded to approximately 1.4 million barrels per day—a turnaround he credited to strategic engagement and collaboration.

“We were given this responsibility at a very critical time, and we remain grateful to Mr. President for the opportunity. Without this platform, our capacity and what we can achieve would not have been fully appreciated,” Pondi said.

Emphasizing the company’s operational philosophy, the Tantita chief stressed that sustainable protection of oil assets is impossible without the cooperation of host communities.

“At Tantita, we do not protect assets from the people; we protect the assets with the people. Bringing in those from the creeks, who understand the terrain, has given us better results,” he stated.

He noted that before Tantita’s intervention, Nigeria’s oil production had steadily declined from about 1.8 million barrels per day in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2021, before hitting its lowest point in 2022. The recovery, he said, demonstrates the effectiveness of an inclusive security architecture.

Pondi acknowledged, however, that the journey has involved sacrifices, revealing that Tantita personnel, alongside members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, have lost their lives protecting national assets.

“We have worked closely with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence Corps, Police, and other agencies. It has not been an easy journey. We have lost soldiers, we have lost our personnel, and we have lost civil defence officers,” he said.

Despite the progress, the Tantita MD maintained that Nigeria can achieve even higher production levels if more investments are channeled into the sector and existing operational gaps are addressed.

“We can still do better. There are still barriers, and we need to invest more to fully achieve the President’s agenda of increased production,” he added.

Pondi further disclosed that the company has invested heavily in technology and human capital development, while also decentralizing operations to ensure broader community involvement and ownership.

According to him, attempts to fragment the security framework could undermine the gains achieved so far, warning that disjointed approaches would reverse progress.

“There is no way we could have succeeded without involving every community that is a stakeholder in this operation. Fragmentation of the process will only push us backwards, and that is something we must avoid,” he cautioned.

The roundtable brought together lawmakers, industry operators, and security stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for boosting oil production and safeguarding critical national infrastructure.

Tantita used the occasion to provide detailed technical insights into its field operations, challenges, and roadmap for sustaining current gains in the sector.