Nigeria’s largest oil pipeline, the Trans-Niger Pipeline, has resumed operations after a temporary shutdown caused by a recent explosion and fire.
The restart comes amid escalating tensions and a deepening crisis in Rivers State, where the pipeline is located.
The development has raised concerns about the stability of the country’s oil production and the country’s continued lagging behind in meeting neither OPEC+ nor 2025 budget estimates.
TNP, which transports approximately 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was temporarily shut down following an explosion on March 17, 2025.
The disruption had sent jitters to government and managers of rhe economy
Data from both OPEC and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) indicated that in February, Nigeria was neither able to meet its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), nor did it move closer to hitting its crude output forecast of over 2 million bpd in this year’s budget.
In February, the country’s output reduced to 1.671 million bpd.
The NUPRC data on Nigeria’s crude oil production saw oil and condensate output falling from 1.73 million bpd in January, a major blow to the successful implementation of this year’s budget.
OPEC, in its Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR), indicated that the country’s crude oil production declined from 1.54 million bpd in January to 1.47 million bpd in February – about 4.81 per cent reduction.
The development is at variane with crude oil production in the West African country, which rose to 1.56 million bpd in February from 1.53 million bpd in January, indicating a 1.96 percent increase.
This has put in jeopardy will the federal government’s dreams of raising N19.60 trillion or 56 percent of its revenues from the oil sector.
The government is eyeing an oil price above $75 per barrel and a production of at least 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).
However, it was further gathered that repairs have been completed and operations have resumed, but the situation remains fragile due to an ongoing unrest in Rivers State.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and all elected lawmakers of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
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Tinubu, who issued the declaration in a national broadcast Tuesday night, appointed Ibokette Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as administrator “to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”
Tinubu said the ongoing crisis has been a major source of concern to him, especially as all his efforts to resolve it have not yielded any result.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate,” the president said.
Tinubu cited as the basis for his action ‘the disturbing’ violence in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state, ocassioned by political battle between Wike and Governor Fubara.
