By Joshua Yousouph
Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that Nigeria recorded an estimated $78.5 million in daily crude oil revenue recovery in 2025, driven largely by intensified maritime surveillance operations spearheaded by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, which effectively curtailed oil theft across key waterways and coastal export routes.
The development marks a significant turnaround from previous years of massive production losses linked to crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal refining activities that were largely sustained through poorly-monitored waterways and coastal corridors.
Recall that last week, the National Assembly endorsed the continued engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for pipeline surveillance, passing a unanimous vote of confidence in the company at a joint roundtable convened by the Senate and House of Representatives joint Committees on Petroleum Resources.
Details of the Report presented to the Joint Senate and House Committees on Petroleum Resources which was sighted by Shipping Position Daily last week, revealed that Tantita’s operations achieved a success rate of between 97 and 99 percent, surpassing its 95 percent benchmark and underscoring the effectiveness of its maritime-focused security architecture.
In 2025, the company expanded its surveillance scope beyond land-based infrastructure to cover critical maritime routes used for transporting stolen crude. This included extensive monitoring of creeks, rivers, and offshore channels that serve as exit points for illicit oil shipments.
With operational coverage spanning over 2,366 kilometres of pipelines and approximately 30,000 square kilometres of terrain; much of it intersecting with waterways, Tantita was able to disrupt the full value chain of oil theft, from illegal tapping to maritime export.
A key component of this success was the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies such as drones, infrared imaging systems, and underwater sonar devices, which enhanced real-time detection of illegal activities, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach maritime environments.
Underwater surveillance uncovered sub-sea pipeline breaches and illegal connections used to siphon crude directly into barges and vessels operating within Nigeria’s inland waterways, enabling authorities to dismantle previously undetected networks.
The report also highlights the interception of vessels, including Motor Tankers TURA II and DIEMA, linked to illegal crude transportation within Nigeria’s maritime space.
Further findings revealed a sophisticated logistics network connecting illegal refineries to the maritime domain, with stolen crude transported through makeshift canals stretching several kilometres to waiting vessels along the coast.
Industry stakeholders say the improved surveillance of these maritime corridors played a decisive role in blocking the movement of stolen crude, restoring significant volumes into official production channels and boosting national revenue.
Beyond economic gains, the enhanced maritime security presence has also contributed to safer waterways, benefiting legitimate operators while deterring criminal activities in coastal communities.
Analysts note that the 2025 outcome reinforces the strategic importance of integrating maritime security into Nigeria’s oil asset protection framework as the country works to sustain production growth and revenue stability.
