‘We Run Decentralized Pipeline Security Operations’, Says Tantita’s MD Pondi

Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, has broken his silence on the agitation for the decentralisation of its pipeline surveillance contract, explaining that its operations are already decentralised to ensure wider community involvement and ownership.

Addressing a Joint Petroleum Parliamentary Roundtable held at the National Assembly, on Wednesday, Pondi noted that because of its decentralised operational framework, Nigeria is gradually recovering in crude oil production.

He said that the rebound in oil production is largely the result of improved security coordination and active community participation in protecting oil and gas assets.

Pondi cautioned that fragmenting the contract itself would not only erode the nation of the gains achieved with the current framework but will push the sector backwards.

While thanking the NASS joint committees for convening the session, Pondi described the session as a critical platform to address challenges confronting the nation’s oil and gas sector.

He recalled that in 2022, when Tantita was awarded the contract to secure critical oil infrastructure, Nigeria’s crude oil production had declined significantly to about 1.1 million barrels per day, including condensates.

According to him, the figure has since rebounded to approximately 1.4 million barrels per day, a development he attributed to strategic engagement and collaboration.

“We were given this responsibility at a very critical time, and we remain grateful to Mr. President for the opportunity. Without this platform, our capacity and what we can achieve would not have been fully appreciated,” Pondi said.

Highlighting the company’s operational philosophy, the Tantita boss stressed that sustainable protection of oil assets cannot be achieved without the cooperation of host communities.

“At Tantita, we do not protect assets from the people; we protect the assets with the people. Bringing in those from the creeks, who understand the terrain, has given us better results,” he stated.

He noted that prior to the intervention, Nigeria’s oil production had steadily declined from about 1.8 million barrels per day in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2021, before hitting its lowest point in 2022. The turnaround, he said, demonstrates the effectiveness of inclusive security architecture.

Pondi, however, acknowledged that the journey has not been without sacrifices, revealing that personnel of Tantita, alongside members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, have lost their lives in the course of safeguarding national assets.

“We have worked closely with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence Corps, Police, and other agencies. It has not been an easy journey. We have lost soldiers, we have lost our personnel, and we have lost civil defence officers,” he said.

Despite the progress recorded, the Tantita MD maintained that Nigeria still has the potential to achieve higher production levels if more investments are channelled into the sector and existing operational gaps are addressed.

“We can still do better. There are still barriers, and we need to invest more to fully achieve the President’s agenda of increased production,” he added.

Pondi further disclosed that the company has invested heavily in technology and human capital development, while also decentralising operations to ensure wider community involvement and ownership.

According to him, attempts to fragment the security framework could undermine the gains achieved so far, warning that disjointed approaches would reverse progress.

“There is no way we could have succeeded without involving every community that is a stakeholder in this operation. Fragmentation of the process will only push us backwards, and that is something we must avoid,” he cautioned.

The roundtable brought together lawmakers, industry operators, and security stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for enhancing oil production and safeguarding critical national infrastructure.

The company used the occasion to provide to provide detailed technical insights into Tantita’s field operations, challenges, and the roadmap for sustaining current gains in the sector.