Nigeria’s largest oil pipeline, the Trans-Niger Pipeline, has resumed operations after a temporary shutdown caused by a recent explosion and fire.
The restart comes amid escalating tensions and a deepening crisis in Rivers State, where the pipeline is located, raising concerns about the stability of the country’s oil production and its broader economic implications.
The Trans-Niger Pipeline, which transports approximately 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was temporarily shut down following an explosion on March 17, 2025.
The incident, which caused significant damage to the infrastructure, disrupted oil exports and heightened fears about the security of Nigeria’s critical energy assets.
A senior oil executive who pleaded anonymity confirmed that repairs have been completed and operations have resumed, but the situation remains fragile due to an ongoing unrest in Rivers State.
“The threat to oil production is still there despite resumption of Trans-Niger pipeline,” he said.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Oduand and all elected lawmakers of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu, who issued the declaration in a national broadcast Tuesday night, appointed Ibokette Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as administrator “to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”
Tinubu said the ongoing crisis has been a major source of concern to him, especially as all his efforts to resolve it have not yielded any result.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate,” the president said.
Tinubu cited as the basis for his action ‘the disturbing’ violence in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state.
The president announced the decision in a televised address on Tuesday, citing the prolonged political crisis in the oil-rich state and the failure of both the executive and legislative arms to resolve their differences. Tinubu also appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the state’s administrator to oversee its affairs during the emergency period.
It comes a day after the 26 lawmakers in the state served a notice of gross misconduct on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, kickstarting the process of removing him from office.
