Lokpobiri Addresses Fuel Smuggling and Pipeline Vandalism

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri has attributed the dual issues of petrol smuggling and oil theft to product subsidies and corroded pipelines.
Lokpobiri disclosed this at the just-concluded Energy and Labour Summit 2024, organised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria in Abuja.
According to him, the prevalence of fuel smuggling from Nigeria to neighbouring West African countries is driven by the fact that the Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited sells the product at a price lower than its landing cost.
Buttressing his view on pipeline vandalism and the menace of oil theft, Lokpobiri noted that many of the country’s crude oil pipelines have reached their expiration.
Lokpobiri also highlighted the need for improved technologies and pipelines, emphasizing the necessity of changing the current model to address the situation effectively.