News
Tantita Employs 60,000 Niger Delta Youths as Pipeline Surveillance Boosts Oil Production — Consultant
By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Tantita Nigeria Limited has disclosed that its pipeline surveillance operations in the Niger Delta have gone beyond protecting oil infrastructure, creating employment for more than 60,000 youths while contributing to improved crude oil production and economic activities in the region.
The company’s Media Consultant and Special Adviser to its Chairman, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, made the disclosure while speaking on the sidelines of an award presented to Tantita by Blueprint Newspapers for its contributions to pipeline security and national development.
Bebenimibo said the company’s intervention in pipeline surveillance since 2022 had strengthened the fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other illegal activities that had negatively affected Nigeria’s oil output and revenue.
He said the recognition from Blueprint was further evidence that Tantita’s activities were yielding measurable results in the Niger Delta.
“Over the years, awards have been coming in, and that shows that Tantita is really doing the job very well,” he said.
According to him, improved security around oil-producing communities has also created room for legitimate economic activities, with fishing, farming and other businesses gradually returning to areas previously affected by insecurity and oil-related criminality.
He said Tantita remained committed to supporting efforts to raise Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day, stressing that protecting pipelines and other critical oil infrastructure was essential to achieving the target.
Bebenimibo attributed the company’s operational effectiveness partly to the extensive knowledge of the Niger Delta terrain possessed by its chairman, Tompolo.
He explained that Tompolo’s familiarity with the creeks, waterways and host communities had helped Tantita develop surveillance strategies suited to the peculiar security challenges of the region.
The consultant also disclosed that the company had incorporated modern technology into its operations, including the deployment of drones to monitor the creeks and identify illegal activities.
“We have acquired drones that are now picking up every illegal activity that is going on in the creek,” he said.
Beyond surveillance and enforcement, Bebenimibo said Tantita had adopted youth empowerment as a major component of its approach to tackling insecurity.
He disclosed that more than 60,000 Niger Delta youths were currently employed by the company and receiving monthly salaries, arguing that providing legitimate livelihoods was critical to reducing the attraction of oil theft, illegal bunkering and other criminal activities.
“Tantita is not just employing the youths. It is also giving them skills and promoting their businesses in the area by giving grants to youths, women and men,” he said.
He said the company’s skills acquisition programmes, grants and other interventions had helped create alternative sources of livelihood for members of host communities and contributed to reducing criminality in some parts of the region.
Bebenimibo further disclosed that Tantita was strengthening its engagement with the media as part of efforts to improve public understanding of its operations.
He said the company had constructed a correspondents’ secretariat in Delta State and planned to establish similar facilities in other Niger Delta states, as well as a national facility for journalists.
According to him, the initiative would deepen cooperation between the company and the media while providing journalists with better opportunities to report developments in the region.
Bebenimibo stressed that Tantita’s security model was not based solely on enforcement, but also on employment, skills development and community support.
He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration among security agencies, oil companies, host communities, the media and private security contractors would further improve the protection of oil infrastructure, increase crude oil production and strengthen Nigeria’s revenue base.
He said the long-term success of efforts to secure the nation’s oil assets would ultimately depend on combining effective surveillance with meaningful economic opportunities for people living in the oil-producing communities.
Tantita Nigeria Limited has disclosed that its pipeline surveillance operations in the Niger Delta have gone beyond protecting oil infrastructure, creating employment for more than 60,000 youths while contributing to improved crude oil production and economic activities in the region.
The company’s Media Consultant and Special Adviser to its Chairman, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, made the disclosure while speaking on the sidelines of an award presented to Tantita by Blueprint Newspapers for its contributions to pipeline security and national development.
Bebenimibo said the company’s intervention in pipeline surveillance since 2022 had strengthened the fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other illegal activities that had negatively affected Nigeria’s oil output and revenue.
He said the recognition from Blueprint was further evidence that Tantita’s activities were yielding measurable results in the Niger Delta.
“Over the years, awards have been coming in, and that shows that Tantita is really doing the job very well,” he said.
According to him, improved security around oil-producing communities has also created room for legitimate economic activities, with fishing, farming and other businesses gradually returning to areas previously affected by insecurity and oil-related criminality.
He said Tantita remained committed to supporting efforts to raise Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day, stressing that protecting pipelines and other critical oil infrastructure was essential to achieving the target.
Bebenimibo attributed the company’s operational effectiveness partly to the extensive knowledge of the Niger Delta terrain possessed by its chairman, Tompolo.
He explained that Tompolo’s familiarity with the creeks, waterways and host communities had helped Tantita develop surveillance strategies suited to the peculiar security challenges of the region.
The consultant also disclosed that the company had incorporated modern technology into its operations, including the deployment of drones to monitor the creeks and identify illegal activities.
“We have acquired drones that are now picking up every illegal activity that is going on in the creek,” he said.
Beyond surveillance and enforcement, Bebenimibo said Tantita had adopted youth empowerment as a major component of its approach to tackling insecurity.
He disclosed that more than 60,000 Niger Delta youths were currently employed by the company and receiving monthly salaries, arguing that providing legitimate livelihoods was critical to reducing the attraction of oil theft, illegal bunkering and other criminal activities.
“Tantita is not just employing the youths. It is also giving them skills and promoting their businesses in the area by giving grants to youths, women and men,” he said.
He said the company’s skills acquisition programmes, grants and other interventions had helped create alternative sources of livelihood for members of host communities and contributed to reducing criminality in some parts of the region.
Bebenimibo further disclosed that Tantita was strengthening its engagement with the media as part of efforts to improve public understanding of its operations.
He said the company had constructed a correspondents’ secretariat in Delta State and planned to establish similar facilities in other Niger Delta states, as well as a national facility for journalists.
According to him, the initiative would deepen cooperation between the company and the media while providing journalists with better opportunities to report developments in the region.
Bebenimibo stressed that Tantita’s security model was not based solely on enforcement, but also on employment, skills development and community support.
He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration among security agencies, oil companies, host communities, the media and private security contractors would further improve the protection of oil infrastructure, increase crude oil production and strengthen Nigeria’s revenue base.
He said the long-term success of efforts to secure the nation’s oil assets would ultimately depend on combining effective surveillance with meaningful economic opportunities for people living in the oil-producing communities.
