By Annette Ikponmwonba | October 15, 2026
Key Points
· PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke claims Nigeria spends more on securing its oil than on producing it
· He said the actual cost of extracting crude is between $12 and $15 per barrel
· Security costs and deteriorating infrastructure push the figure to between $25 and $45 per barrel, he said
· Duke noted that NNPC says it is trying to bring the cost down to $20 a barrel
· He argued that tackling these costs could help lower petrol prices and the cost of living
· He spoke on Arise Television on Thursday
Main Story
The Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has claimed that Nigeria spends more money securing its oil than producing it. He made the claim during an appearance on Arise Television on Thursday, According to Duke, security expenses and deteriorating infrastructure have pushed production costs to between $25 and $45 per barrel, even though the actual cost of extracting crude is between $12 and $15. “The actual production cost of a crude in Nigeria is anywhere between $12 and $15. What takes it up to $25 or $45 is security costs and dilapidated infrastructure,” he said, He argued that addressing these expenses could help Nigeria lower petrol prices and reduce the cost of living, defending his proposal to cut fuel prices on the grounds that an oil-producing country should offer cheaper energy to its citizens.
The Issues
Duke’s claim touches on a long-standing concern in Nigeria’s oil sector: the high cost of producing each barrel compared with other producers. Oil theft, pipeline vandalism and insecurity in producing areas have pushed up operating costs, and those costs ultimately affect government revenue and the pricing of petroleum products.
His argument links upstream costs directly to what consumers pay at the pump, which is a debatable connection. Petrol prices depend on many factors, including refining, import costs, exchange rates and distribution, so lowering production costs alone may not translate quickly into cheaper fuel, The figures are also Duke’s own claims made in a television interview, and they have not been independently verified in the report. As a presidential candidate, he is also using the issue to set out a campaign message on energy and productivity.
What’s Being Said
Duke questioned the logic of the security spending. “You can’t tell me that you pay about $10 or $15 to secure one barrel that is produced actually between $12 and $15,” he said, noting that even NNPC says it is trying to bring the cost down to $20 a barrel. In his view, oil producing companies have simply added security costs to their expenses.
He framed energy as central to economic progress. “I think the fundamental objective of government is the productivity of its citizens. So you’ve got to tackle all the things that are inimical to the productivity of your citizens,” he said. He added that energy and capital are crucial, questioning why Nigeria struggles with high petrol prices when it supposedly produces 1.7 to 1.8 million barrels a day.
What’s Next
Attention will turn to whether NNPC, oil producers or government officials respond to Duke’s figures and his claim about security costs. NNPC’s stated effort to bring the cost per barrel down to $20 will also be watched, As the 2027 campaign builds, fuel prices and energy policy are likely to remain a key issue, with Duke and other candidates expected to offer competing plans.
Bottom Line
Duke is arguing that inflated security and infrastructure costs are keeping Nigeria’s oil expensive to produce and, by extension, petrol expensive to buy, a claim that makes for a strong campaign message but one that rests on figures yet to be independently confirmed.
