Oil theft Between January and July, Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, lost an average of 437,000 barrels of oil a day to criminals. Last week, the Group Managing Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, headlined the State House media briefing, expressing concern about the menace of oil theft undermining Nigeria’s production and consequently fiscal capacity. Mr Kyari blamed various sections of the Nigerian society for being complicit in the theft of millions of barrels of crude oil, mentioning even that make-shift pipelines and stolen fuel have been found in churches and mosques. Between January and July, Africa’s biggest oil producer lost an average of 437,000 barrels of oil a day to criminal entities and individuals who illicitly tap pipelines onshore and offshore in the Niger Delta region, a PREMIUM TIMES data analysis has shown. At current prices, the stolen oil is worth more than $10 billion, which is equivalent to […]