Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s drive to ramp up crude oil production received a fresh boost as the Independent Petroleum Producers Group, IPPG, pledged support for ongoing sector reforms and the Federal Government’s output targets.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, disclosed this after hosting members of the IPPG, led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aradel Holdings, Mr. Adegbite Falade.
Lokpobiri said the endorsement by indigenous producers underscores investor confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory reforms and growth agenda.
“Nigeria remains a preferred destination for investment, and we must get everything right to strengthen and sustain this position,” the minister said.
He described the visit as timely, noting that industry operators have begun to acknowledge the impact of policy reforms introduced to stabilise and grow the sector.
“It is particularly impressive to see industry players acknowledging the reforms we have instituted and our deliberate drive for growth across the sector,” he stated, while commending IPPG members for their role in boosting production.
According to him, the group’s pledge to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to ramp up production signals stronger collaboration between government and indigenous operators.
“Their courtesy visit and commendation of the strong leadership we are providing in the industry, as well as their pledge of support toward our aspiration to ramp up production, were both encouraging and timely,” Lokpobiri said.
He stressed that regulators and operators must work as partners to eliminate bottlenecks within the system.
“We are partners, ready to resolve every challenge within the regulatory space,” he declared.
The minister further noted that indigenous producers possess a strategic advantage in managing host community relations, a critical factor in sustaining output growth.
“The IPPG understands the terrain and the sentiments of host communities, and we expect this advantage to be leveraged to deepen trust and accelerate production,” he said.
Lokpobiri encouraged the group to scale operations beyond Nigeria’s borders, assuring them of government backing.
“Whatever we achieve together is our collective pride. I encourage the IPPG to scale locally, with our full support as they expand beyond Nigeria’s shores,” he added.
The renewed alignment between regulators and indigenous producers could prove pivotal in achieving Nigeria’s short- and medium-term production targets, particularly as global capital increasingly favours stable and reform-driven energy jurisdictions.
