The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reported a significant rise in the country’s oil output after sustained air strikes on illegal refineries in the Niger Delta. Group Capt. Abdulafeez Opaleye, commander of the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, said daily sorties have disrupted oil‑theft networks across seven states. Between May and August, the NAF conducted intensive surveillance, armed reconnaissance, and pipeline‑patrol missions, neutralising 12 criminals, arresting six suspects and destroying illegal refining camps, cooking tanks and reservoirs.
The operations covered Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. As a direct result, Nigeria’s total oil production averaged 1.71 million barrels per day in July 2025, including condensates, with crude oil output alone at 1.51 million barrels per day. AVM Francis Edosa, Chief of Training and Operations for the NAF, attributed this increase to the air campaigns, which have degraded criminal capacity and reinforced deterrence.
In total, the NAF destroyed 25 cooking tanks, 11 reservoirs and three drums used in illegal refining. The missions consumed more than 60,000 liters of Jet A‑1 fuel and involved 117 missions, 189 sorties and 192 flight hours from May to July. The force has reiterated its commitment to maintaining this operational tempo to stabilise the Niger Delta, protect oil revenues and keep the country’s skies safe for legitimate operators.
The boost in oil output marks a significant development for Nigeria, which has long struggled with oil theft and sabotage. The NAF’s intelligence‑driven air operations demonstrate how targeted security actions can deliver both safety and economic benefits, offering a positive outlook for the future of Nigeria’s oil industry.
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