KEY POINTS
- Tompolo pipeline protection contract worth about N48 billion yearly.
- Government reviewing strategy to curb oil theft in Niger Delta.
- Decision could reshape security and influence in oil region.
Government Ekpemupolo, known as Tompolo, is seeking to retain a pipeline protection contract estimated at N48 billion a year as the Tinubu administration reassesses its strategy against oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The contract, held by Tantita Security Services, has become one of the most closely watched arrangements in Nigeria’s oil sector. Beyond its scale, the Tompolo pipeline protection contract places a private firm linked to a prominent regional figure at the centre of safeguarding critical national infrastructure.
Tompolo Pipeline Protection Contract Under Review
A report by Africa Intelligence said Tompolo has been lobbying in Abuja and within Delta State, arguing that his company’s local networks and knowledge of the creeks position it to disrupt crude theft and sabotage more effectively than conventional enforcement.
The review comes as President Bola Tinubu’s government pushes to raise oil production and shore up revenues. Persistent theft, illegal refining and vandalism have reduced export volumes and foreign exchange inflows in recent years.
People who support the existing setup say that hiring former militant leaders to protect pipelines is like how things worked in the Niger Delta after the amnesty, when ex-combatants became contractors. They argue that community ties and information from the ground can help keep output stable.
Critics are skeptical of the idea and say that outsourcing important security tasks could lead to insufficient oversight and unclear lines of responsibility. They say that big commercial contracts can build parallel systems of influence in places where government institutions are still weak.
Stakes for Output and Power
The Tompolo pipeline protection contract costs roughly N48 billion a year and also pays for monitoring, logistics, and manpower along oil-producing routes. It also carries indirect influence through subcontracting and local employment in a region where patronage shapes alliances.
Billionaires Africa says the government could restructure the contract, tighten performance benchmarks, divide responsibilities among multiple operators or shift more duties back to state agencies. Any change would further reshape the balance of power in the Delta.
The outcome will signal whether Abuja maintains the existing security framework or adopts a revised approach as it seeks to curb oil theft and stabilise production.
