Air Power Pushes Oil Output To 1.71m bpd

By ESTHER McWILLIS-IKHIDE

NIGERIA’S oil production rose to 1.71 million barrels per day (mbpd) in July 2025, including condensates, with crude oil alone averaging 1.51 mbpd.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) credited the rebound to intensified air operations under Operation Delta Safe, targeting oil theft, sabotage, and illegal refining across Niger Delta states.

Air missions included daily helicopter patrols, intelligence gathering, and armed reconnaissance, leading to the destruction of dozens of illegal refining sites, militant hideouts, and oil theft networks.

Between May and July, NAF flew 117 missions and 189 sorties, logging 192 flight hours and destroying facilities such as cooking tanks and reservoirs used in illegal refining.

Officials said the crackdown has reduced sabotage, secured vital infrastructure, and contributed to a measurable rise in national oil output, reinforcing the NAF’s role in protecting Nigeria’s energy assets.