According to Sylva, massive crude oil theft is affecting Nigeria's ability to meet OPEC's daily quota.
Oil theft has already turned into a national emergency, according to Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who estimates that every day, over 400,000 barrels of crude are stolen in Nigeria.
According to Sylva, massive crude oil theft is affecting Nigeria's ability to meet OPEC's daily quota.
Sylva is the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources while President Muhammadu Buhari is the senior petroleum resources minister.
The country's export allocation fell from 1.8 million barrels to 1.4 million barrels, a loss the minister said could cripple Nigeria’s economy.
The minister told Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma on Monday in Owerri that local collaboration was required to stop the economic bleeding because Abuja could not do it alone, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
"This is because the thefts are occurring in communities that host the oil pipelines," Sylva explained. "As a result, it has become necessary to engage stakeholders, particularly host communities."
Imo is home to a significant portion of Nigeria's oil reserves.
Uzodinma, in his response, said his administration would not relent in its efforts to stop the economic sabotage perpetrated by pipeline vandals.
The governor described the consequences of crude oil theft as "very alarming”.
The meeting was held as part of a nationwide intervention to combat crude oil theft in the country.