The Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD) at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) has announced that it is prepared to spearhead efforts to tackle Nigeria’s persistent issues of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal mining.
In a statement released by its Head of Media and Public Enlightenment, Benjamin Atu, the centre said these challenges have cost the country over ₦4.3 trillion, with more than 7,000 incidents of pipeline damage recorded over the last five years. Countless illegal mineral extractions have further worsened the nation’s economic loss.
FUPRE-CSD urged the federal government to collaborate with the university, noting that the centre possesses the expertise and personnel necessary to curb financial leakages in the oil and gas sector. It said its full potential can be unlocked through government support, allowing it to play a critical role in national recovery.
“If the government empowers FUPRE to perform optimally, our Centre for Sustainable Development can provide effective solutions to oil theft and its crippling effects on Nigeria’s economy. These problems have led to higher maintenance and replacement costs, closure of multinationals, and investor flight,” the statement read.
The centre also highlighted its capacity for community-based outreach, aimed at addressing the root causes of oil theft, vandalism, and illegal mining. These root causes, it said, include widespread poverty, poor infrastructure, community resentment toward oil companies and government policies, ineffective law enforcement, porous borders, and local collaboration with criminal networks.
CSD called for greater political will, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure lasting progress.
Despite the efforts of several national institutions—such as the Office of the National Security Adviser, NNPCL, the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board, the Niger Delta Development Commission, and security agencies including Tantita Security Services—the centre believes a new, more holistic approach is needed.
It proposed formalising small-scale mining activities through cooperatives, improving technical infrastructure, and licensing modular refineries as safer alternatives for local operators. The adoption of modern surveillance technology, such as drone systems used in Saudi Arabia, was also recommended. FUPRE-CSD said it plans to study and adapt such systems to fit the Nigerian context through strategic international partnerships.
While acknowledging the progress made by the current administration and other agencies including NOSDRA, NEITI, and the Senate Committee on Oil Theft, the centre said its mission goes beyond observation—it is committed to delivering practical solutions that can transform the country’s energy and mining landscape.
