By Oghenefejiro Emado0
8, April 2026
The Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, has revealed that the country’s crude oil production has rebounded to approximately 1.4 million barrels per day, attributing the increase to enhanced security measures and active community participation in protecting oil and gas assets.
Speaking at the Joint Petroleum Parliamentary Roundtable at the National Assembly, Pondi expressed gratitude to the Senate Joint Committees for convening the session, describing it as a vital platform to address challenges facing the nation’s oil and gas sector.
Pondi recalled that when Tantita was awarded the contract in 2022, Nigeria’s crude oil production had plummeted to 1.1 million barrels per day, including condensates.
He credited strategic engagement and collaboration for the turnaround, stating, “We were given this responsibility at a critical time, and we’re grateful to Mr. President for the opportunity. Without this platform, our capacity and achievements wouldn’t have been fully appreciated.”
The Tantita boss emphasized that sustainable protection of oil assets requires host community cooperation, saying, “We protect assets with the people, not from them. Involving locals who understand the terrain has yielded better results.”
He noted that prior to Tantita’s intervention, Nigeria’s oil production had declined from 1.8 million barrels per day in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2021, hitting a low in 2022.
Pondi acknowledged the sacrifices made, revealing that Tantita personnel, Nigerian Armed Forces, and other security agencies have lost lives safeguarding national assets.
“We’ve worked closely with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence Corps, Police, and other agencies.
It’s been challenging, but we’ve made progress.”
Despite progress, Pondi stressed that Nigeria can achieve higher production levels with increased investments and addressing operational gaps.
“We can do better. There are barriers, and we need to invest more to achieve the President’s agenda of increased production.”
Tantita has invested heavily in technology and human capital development, decentralizing operations to ensure wider community involvement and ownership.
Pondi warned that fragmenting the security framework could undermine gains, saying, “Involving every community stakeholder is crucial.
Fragmentation will push us backwards, and that’s something we must avoid.”
The roundtable brought together stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing oil production and safeguarding critical infrastructure.
Tantita provided technical insights into its field operations, challenges, and roadmap for sustaining sector gains ” he further explained.
It will be recalled that 50 traditional rulers in Delta State held a roundtable meeting recently to back Tantita for the good job done in protecting oil and gas asset in the region since it(Tantita) inception.
