On Wednesday, 5th November, 2025, the Senate reviewed a report from the Ad-Hoc Committee investigating oil theft in the Niger Delta. The report, presented by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), revealed deep-rooted lapses in the management of the nation’s oil and gas sector, including weak enforcement, poor measurement standards, and unaccounted exports that have drained public revenue to the sum of over $300 billion.
Furthermore, Nwoko told lawmakers while presenting the 40-page report that “The findings so far expose systemic irregularities and inefficiencies that have robbed the country of enormous wealth”.
The committee’s preliminary assessment pointed to cumulative losses exceeding $300 billion, citing consultant data that identified crude revenue shortfalls of $81 billion between 2016 and 2017, and over $200 billion in unremitted or untracked oil proceeds since 2015.
To address the crisis, the committee recommended that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) enforce international crude measurement standards across all production and export sites.
It also urged the Federal Government to deploy modern surveillance systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to monitor pipelines and coastal operations, and to establish a Maritime Trust Fund to boost maritime safety.
The report further advised the creation of special courts for the speedy prosecution of oil thieves, the full enforcement of the Host Communities Development Trust Fund under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and the reassignment of abandoned wells to the NUPRC for proper utilisation.
Presiding over the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio lauded Senator Nwoko and his team for what he called a “thorough and courageous effort,” but sided with those urging legislative restraint.
Akpabio stated that “Our duty is to track and trace. Recovery lies with government agencies. Nonetheless, this $300 billion revelation is staggering and demands urgent reform.”
The Senate thereafter adopted the interim report, directing the committee to continue its investigation and submit a final, comprehensive report with actionable recommendations on halting oil theft and plugging revenue leakages.
