The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) have announced an intensified partnership aimed at protecting Nigeria’s crucial oil and gas infrastructure. The renewed cooperation confirmed during a courtesy meeting in Abuja between Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke (Chief of Air Staff) and NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, underscores the importance of safeguarding pipelines, flow stations, offshore platforms and other key energy installations.
According to NAF’s spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, this deeper collaboration is essential for the country’s economic stability. Air Marshal Aneke explained that tighter security could improve productivity, reduce revenue losses and support national development by preventing sabotage, theft and other disruptions.
To achieve this, the NAF will enhance the use of technology and intelligence, including expanded surveillance and reconnaissance, enabling proactive detection of threats and rapid response when needed. The alignment between NAF operations and NNPC’s priorities is expected to ensure uninterrupted energy supply, increased production, and overall resilience for Nigeria’s energy sector.
NNPC’s CEO praised the Air Force for its commitment, noting that the move is timely given the government’s renewed push to boost investment and productivity in the energy sector. He reiterated that NNPC is ready to collaborate through intelligence sharing, joint operational planning, and the deployment of modern security technologies to protect vulnerable assets.
Air Marshal Aneke also stressed that the strengthened cooperation will extend to coastal and maritime security. This marks a concerted effort to counter threats from insurgents and criminal syndicates, especially those targeting offshore platforms and pipelines integral to the country’s energy supply chain.
In conclusion, the reinforced partnership between NAF and NNPC is being framed not only as a security measure, but also as a strategic move to safeguard national resources and drive Nigeria’s broader development objectives. The collaboration seeks to guarantee stability in the oil and gas sector, a foundational element of Nigeria’s economy, by protecting critical infrastructure and maximizing revenue potential.
By securing pipelines and offshore assets, NNPC reduces revenue losses from theft and vandalism, potentially boosting national oil output and revenue. Stable energy supplies also attract fresh investments, vital for achieving NNPC’s target of drawing $30–60 billion into Nigeria’s oil and gas sector by 2030.
