The Federal Government may have lost over N3.8 trillion to shortfall in oil production due to militants’ attacks and oil theft last year in the Niger Delta. Specifically, Nigeria is said to have lost about 700,000 barrels daily throughout last year, for which at the oil price of $50 per barrel, the country would have lost $35 million (N10.6 billion) daily, amounting to N3.8 trillion.
Notwithstanding that it has constantly denied any plans to increase the pump price of petroleum products, the government, however, noted that such increases may become inevitable as the prices of crude rise at the international oil market which is currently above $54/barrel.
Besides, it is feared that Nigeria’s 36 billion crude oil reserves could dry up in the next 40 years if there is no reserve addition and its gas in 65 years if there are no deliberate efforts to increase the current reserves of 187 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachnikwu, who made this disclosure at the Rainoil 20th anniversary lecture yesterday, in Lagos, noted that the revenue lost to vandalism last year could fund 30 per cent of Nigeria’s 2017 budget.
He added that the present administration has been able to restore peace in the Niger Delta. The minister, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Henry Ikem-Obih, spoke on, “The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects of the Downstream Sector.
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