Ex-Lecturer Warns of Niger Delta Crisis Over Unequal Pipeline Surveillance Contracts

A former university lecturer, Dr Youpele Banigo, has warned that the current structure of oil and gas pipeline surveillance contracts could ignite fresh tensions in the Niger Delta if not urgently reformed to ensure equitable participation.
Banigo, who previously served on the Presidential Technical Committee on the Niger Delta, said the existing surveillance arrangement remains heavily imbalanced, risking resentment and alienation among oil-producing communities that bear the environmental and social costs of petroleum exploration.
According to him, the committee’s 2008 report had strongly recommended the active involvement of host communities in safeguarding Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.
“Our vision at the time was for broad, inclusive participation by all producing communities,” Banigo said.
He explained that the report also emphasised the need to build capacity among local stakeholders, noting that while such inclusion might present initial challenges, these could be addressed through a structured and transparent framework.
Banigo urged policymakers and industry stakeholders to adopt a new model that guarantees fair access for all oil-producing communities to participate in pipeline surveillance operations.
He argued that the most practical approach would be to unbundle the existing surveillance contracts and restructure them to promote equitable and participatory involvement across the region.
The former committee member warned that failure to embrace a more inclusive arrangement could escalate tensions in the Niger Delta, with serious consequences for regional security and national crude oil production.