The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says that no fewer than 22 oil and gas workers died in the line of duty between January and December 2024,
According to the NUPRC, a total of 22 fatalities and 31 operational incidents were recorded in the Nigerian upstream oil and gas sector last year.
It stated that the sobering statistic underscores the persistent safety challenges confronting Nigerian oil operations, despite regulatory reforms and enhanced safety oversight introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The report by Punch newspaper said that the Commission did not give details of the incidents and the operators involved, but it recalled the crash of the helicopter carrying six officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited along with two crew members in October last year.
The East Wind Aviation helicopter, with Registration Number 5NBQG, reportedly took off from the Nigerian Air force Base in Port Harcourt en route to the FPSO–NUIMS Antan.
It added that the NUPRC report disclosed that the Commission’s health, safety, and environmental performance, showed that 732 oil spill incidents were recorded across the country in 2024 and that 59.01 per cent of the spills were caused by sabotage, particularly in the Niger Delta.
According to the report, the fatalities arose from various operational hazards and were part of a broader pattern of safety incidents being tracked and addressed through accident investigations, audits, and compliance enforcement.
The Commission also said that it ramped up the issuance of Offshore Safety Permits and expanded training through its Safety and Emergency Training Centres, with over 26,000 individuals registered and 237 Radiation Safety Permits issued in 2024.
GIK/APA