Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has revealed that security agencies and oil industry operators are working towards achieving Nigeria’s target of 2.5 million barrels of crude oil per day, as set by President Bola Tinubu.

He disclosed this after a high-level meeting with commanders of the Joint Task Force, international and local oil operators, and key stakeholders at the Python Officers’ Mess, 6 Division Headquarters, Port Harcourt.

The meeting followed a similar engagement six months ago, during which General Musa issued a three-month ultimatum to curb oil theft in the Niger Delta and increase production to 2.2 million barrels per day. However, output has remained at 1.8 million barrels per day, prompting fresh discussions.

After a four-hour closed-door session, the Defence Chief briefed journalists on key resolutions, emphasizing ongoing efforts to tackle oil theft and improve production levels.

“After working together we have seen that we need to do more for all organizations, the security agencies, the private companies, the IOCs, and the local companies, that we need to work together and we have all committed ourselves to doing that. We are going to have so much synergy, and Nigerians will be proud of what will happen, it’s not ongoing,” he explained .

When asked why production figures have remained at 1.8 million barrels per day since the last briefing, General Musa explained the reasons behind the fluctuations.

“When I gave the three months ultimatum, we had hit almost 1.7 then. Now we have been doing, you know, as it is, because of the nature of the environment, it fluctuates, 1.8 comes down to 1.7. We want to assure Nigerians that we are targeting 2.5. We know we can do that, but again, we can’t do it alone. We need Nigerians to cooperate, especially the communities around those areas.”

Representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Office of the National Security Adviser expressed optimism, stating that the strategies outlined at the meeting could help Nigeria achieve the 2.5 million barrels per day target.

Stakeholders believe that continued collaboration between security forces and oil operators is essential to protecting energy infrastructure and increasing output.