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PINL To Align With FG To Achieve 2.5mbpd Crude Production
Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited(PINL), a private security company (PSC) in charge of surveillance of the Eastern Corridor of the Trans- Niger Pipeline (TNP), has pledged to allign its operations with the Federal Government’s vision of attaining 2.5 million barrels per day crude oil production in 2026.
General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations of the firm, Dr Akpos Mezeh, disclosed this during its January meeting with stakeholders from the TNP host communities in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
He said the decision was part of the company’s strategic priorities for the year 2026, noting that the firm also aims at strengthening collaborations with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and other security agencies in achieving the target.
According to Dr Mezeh, the company will also mediate in conflicts in all oil producing communities in the area to ensure that the targeted production output is met.
He said: “As we move into 2026, PINL’s focus will be on aligning with the efforts of the Federal Government towards meeting the 2.5m bpd production target in 2026, sustaining zero infractions along the TNP coagencie, strengthening collaboration with NNPCL, ONSA, and security agencies, mediating conflicts in Ogoniland and other oil producing communities with a view to resuming production”.
The company also disclosed plans to expands its empowerment programme for women and youths of the host communities as well as deepening community awareness against activities of vandals.
He added: “PINL will be expanding women and youth empowerment programmes, deepening community intelligence and participation, advocating for improved government presence and infrastructural development in the oil and gas communities.
“We pledge to uphold transparency, accountability, and consistent engagement”.
To ensure improved surveillance in the year 2026, the PINL official announced plans to conduct capacity-building training for Community-Based Contractors (CBSs) in the first quarter of 2026, focusing on incident reporting, event reporting, guard patrol procedures, surveillance and intelligence gathering.
While thanking the communities for their efforts in 2025, Mezeh urged them to continue on the part of dialogue in resolving all issues.
He said: “Distinguished stakeholders, the story of the Trans-Niger Pipeline is changing and you are the author of that change. What we protect together today determines what Nigeria earns tomorrow.
“Let us continue to choose dialogue over disruption, cooperation over conflict and shared prosperity over short-term gain”.
In his remarks, Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo urged the Federal Government to consider development of the host communities to foster peace and curb vandalising in the region.
The monarch particularly noted the need to make petroleum products affordable for host communities to discourage the sale of adulterated products in their areas.
“Let the NSA’s office hear that if the Federal Government provides petroleum products at affordable cost across the Niger Delta everything about vandalism ends because there will be no person to buy.
“Educate the youths at levels and when there is no demand for it, supply will end. So educate the youths, engage the youths and make efforts towards providing petroleum products at the communities.
“How painful it is that you have oil wells, manifolds in your community and you still buy higher than those who don’t have? Why won’t the Federal Government know that that’s the cause of the problem of vandalism in the Niger Delta?
“So while thanking you and your efforts in engaging us everytime and dialoguing for peace in the Niger Delta, let the Federal Government do the needful,” he queried
Also speaking, the Ibenanowei of Bomo Kingdom, of the State, HRM king Joshua Igbugburu called on community youths to continue in their resolve to protecting pipelines.
The Bomo king also appreciated the company for uniting the communities through their regular engagements.
“I call on all community leaders and youths to protect the pipelines and oil platforms in our communities at all times. We need to maintain the continued peace in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta to attract more development to our communities. PINL, thank you for your good work in Niger Delta by uniting the people in your area of operation,” the monarch said.
Also speaking Comrade Robert Igali, Director-General, Bayelsa State Centre For Youths Development, said for there to be sustained peace along the TNP, youth development should not be overlooked.
“While we seek peace and zero-tolerance for pipeline vandalism in Bayelsa State, it is important to note that the major actors are these youths who have decided to embrace peace and work with PINL. It is therefore very important that this year, if there will continue to be zero- infractions, they should not be ignored, ” he appealed.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to expand access to reliable and sustainable electricity across the Niger Delta region.
The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the REA in Abuja, was targeted at strengthening institutional collaboration and accelerating development in underserved communities in the region.
A statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, said the pact underscores renewed efforts by the two federal interventionist agencies to deepen cooperation and fast-track infrastructure delivery.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, described the MoU as a strategic step towards realising the Commission’s vision to “light up the Niger Delta” in line with national priorities on distributed energy expansion.
Ogbuku said the agreement represents a shared institutional responsibility to deliver reliable energy solutions that will enhance livelihoods, stimulate local economies and create broader opportunities across the nine Niger Delta states.
According to him, electricity remains a critical enabler of national development, supporting job creation, healthcare delivery, education and inclusive economic growth.
He noted that the collaboration would help unlock the economic potential of rural communities while advancing broader national development objectives.
The NDDC boss added that the Commission has consistently adopted partnership-driven approaches in executing projects in the region and is prepared to support the implementation of the MoU by leveraging its community presence and infrastructure development capacity.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the REA to ensure the timely and effective execution of the agreement.
The NDDC delegation at the event included the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai; Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde; Director, Legal Services, Mr Victor Arenyeka; Director, Finance and Supply, Mrs Kunemofa Asu; and Director, Liaison Office, Abuja, Mrs Mary Nwaeke.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the REA, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the MoU as a natural collaboration between two agencies with complementary mandates, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding access to sustainable electricity in rural communities.
Aliyu said the Niger Delta remains central to Nigeria’s economic fortunes and must be supported by infrastructure capable of driving productivity, enterprise and improved living standards, adding that the partnership signals readiness to deliver stable power to communities that have long awaited reliable electricity supply.
By: King Onunwor
Artificial intelligence is often viewed as a catalyst for electrification and subsequently decarbonization. Yet one of its most immediate effects may be the opposite of what many assume. The rapid buildout of AI infrastructure is increasing demand for reliable power, and that reality could strengthen the role of natural gas and other dispatchable energy sources for many years.
Investors focused on semiconductors and software valuations may be overlooking a key constraint. AI runs on electricity, and those electricity systems operate within physical and economic limits.
The energy sector has spent much of the past decade grappling with slow load growth. That is now changing, in a way that is reminiscent of the sharp rise in oil demand—and subsequently price—in the early 2000s.
Training large language models and operating advanced AI systems requires enormous computing resources. Hyperscale data centers are expanding rapidly, with developers requesting gigawatt-scale interconnections from utilities. In several regions, electricity demand forecasts have been revised upward after years of flat expectations.
This shift is significant because AI workloads create continuous, high-density demand rather than intermittent usage. Data centers cannot simply power down when the electricity supply becomes constrained. Reliability becomes paramount.
Wind and solar capacity continues to expand, but intermittent generation alone cannot meet the firm capacity needs of AI infrastructure without significant storage or backup generation.
Battery storage is improving, yet long-duration storage remains costly at scale. Nuclear projects face long development timelines and complex permitting hurdles. Transmission expansion also lags demand growth in many regions.
These constraints make dispatchable power sources critical. Natural gas plants can ramp quickly, operate continuously, and be deployed faster than many alternatives. As a result, gas-fired generation is increasingly viewed as a practical solution for supporting AI-driven load growth.
This does not undermine the role of renewables. In many markets, new renewable capacity is paired with gas generation to maintain grid stability. The key point is that AI-driven electrification is likely to increase fossil fuel usage in the near term.
Construction timelines favor gas-fired generation when demand rises quickly. Existing pipeline infrastructure reduces barriers to expansion. And for operators of data centers, reliability often outweighs ideological preferences. Downtime is simply too expensive.
Utilities are also revisiting resource plans as load forecasts rise. That shift may drive increased investment in transmission, grid modernization, and flexible generation assets.
The Decarbonization Story Is Complex
A common narrative holds that AI accelerates the transition away from fossil fuels because it increases electrification. The reality is more nuanced.
If electricity demand outpaces the buildout of low-carbon capacity, fossil generation may still increase in absolute terms even as renewables gain market share. Total emissions could rise, but the carbon intensity of the energy system may trend lower as cleaner sources make up a larger share of supply.
Ultimately, energy systems evolve based on engineering and economics, not just policy goals or market narratives.
Rising power demand could benefit utilities investing in transmission and generation capacity. Natural gas producers and midstream companies may see structural demand support from increased power-sector consumption. Equipment suppliers tied to grid reliability and gas turbines could also gain from the shift.
Longer term, advances in nuclear, storage, or efficiency may change the trajectory. For now, the immediate response to surging electricity demand is likely to rely on technologies that can be deployed quickly and reliably.
Artificial intelligence may reshape the economy in profound ways. One of the least appreciated consequences is that it may extend the relevance of natural gas as the world builds the energy backbone required to power the next generation of computing.
By: Robert Rapier
Ogun State is set to join the comity of oil producing states in the country following the discovery and subsequent approval of commercial oil exploration activities in the Eba oil well, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state.
A technical team from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has visited the area as preparations are in advanced stage for commencement of commercial drilling operations in the state.
The inspection followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for commercial exploration, forming part of the federal government’s efforts to deploy the required technical capacity and infrastructure for production.
Officials of NNPCL carried out the exercise alongside representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and national security agencies to evaluate the site and confirm its readiness for drilling activities.
The delegation was led by Project Coordinator for Enserv, Hussein Aliyu, who headed the NNPCL Enserv technical team.
Other members included Wasiu Adeniyi, Onwugba Kelechi, Engr. Rabiu M. Audu, Ojonoka Braimah, Ahmad Usman, Akinbosola Oluwaseyi, Salisu Nuhu, James Amezhinim, Yusuf Abdul-Azeez, Amararu Isukul and Livinus J. Kigbu.
Speaking, Governor Dapo Abiodun, described the development as a landmark achievement for Ogun State, saying “the commencement of drilling at Eba would stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities and attract increased federal presence to the state’s coastal communities.
Abiodun also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his support toward the development of frontier oil basins and the equitable spread of the nation’s energy resources.
Recall that geological reports had earlier confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons within the Ogun Waterside axis, leading to preliminary surveys and technical engagements by NNPCL.
The Ogun State Government also carried out an independent verification of the oil well’s coordinates, affirming the discovery is located within the state’s boundaries.
To secure the project, naval security personnel have been deployed to the site for over 18 months, with the support of the Ogun State Government, to protect the facility and its environs.
The Eba oil well is regarded as part of Nigeria’s strategic move to expand oil production beyond the Niger Delta region.
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