About 619.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $46.16 billion or N16.25 trillion, have been stolen in the last 12 years, Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said.
NEITI disclosed this, yesterday, in a statement signed by its Head, Communications and Advocacy, Obiageli Onuorah.
Separately, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other stakeholders had described crude oil theft in the country as an organised crime perpetrated by the elite.
NEITI said it would support move by the Federal Government to investigate crude oil theft in the country, adding that the development has worsened the nation’s crude oil output and destabilised budget and economic plans.
According to information and data provided by an average of eight companies, the losses occurred from 2009 to 2020.
A breakdown shows that in 2009, when NEITI commenced reporting of crude oil theft, Nigeria lost 69.49 million barrels, valued at $4.31billion. The figures for 2010, 2011 and 2012 revealed that 28.31million, 38.61 million and 51.58 million barrels, valued at $2.29 billion, $4.39 billion and $5.82 billion, respectively, were lost.
The NEITI oil and gas industry reports for 2013 to 2020 also showed that the losses did not abate as 78.30 million barrels, valued at $8.55 billion, were lost in 2013 alone. 2014 and 2015 witnessed combined losses of 67.29 million barrels, valued at $5.57billion.
According to the reports, 2016 recorded the highest losses of 101.05 million barrels, valued at $4.42 billion. The combined value of these losses is 619.7 million barrels amounting to $46.16 billion over a 12-year period.
“It is regrettable that at a time Nigeria’s economy is largely dependent on oil revenues, some Nigerians would choose to collude with foreign nationals to steal and sabotage the main sources of revenue for the federation,” NEITI said.
