Nigeria’s private security company, Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), has entered into a strategic partnership with United States–based defence technology firm, Textron Systems, to strengthen surveillance and security around the country’s oil and gas infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Textron Systems will supply unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to support operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and sabotage, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
Textron Systems said the drones would enhance real-time monitoring and intelligence gathering across critical oil-producing areas, where illegal activities have continued to undermine Nigeria’s crude oil output and revenue.
The partnership also includes comprehensive training for Tantita personnel, as well as provisions for the possible acquisition of additional aircraft as the company expands its operational capacity. The development builds on an earlier delivery of Aerosonde drone systems to Nigeria through the United States Foreign Military Sales programme.
The Aerosonde Mk 4.7 UAV, which Tantita is set to deploy, is designed to operate without a conventional runway. It uses a hybrid quadrotor system that allows for vertical take-off and landing before transitioning into fixed-wing flight. The platform is capable of carrying multiple payloads and conducting long-endurance surveillance missions over wide areas.
Speaking on the agreement, Tantita’s Executive Director for Operations and Technical Services, Captain Waredi Enisour, said company officials were currently in the United States to inspect the drone systems and understudy their operational and technical processes.
Enisour expressed confidence that the deployment of the new technology would significantly reduce crude oil theft, noting that the drones would provide extensive aerial surveillance coverage across difficult-to-access terrains in the Niger Delta.
He further disclosed that Tantita is the first private security firm in Nigeria to acquire the Aerosonde UAV platform equipped with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
According to him, the partnership reflects Tantita’s commitment to deploying advanced technology to strengthen the protection of Nigeria’s critical oil and gas assets and support national efforts to secure the sector.
Tantita Partners U.S. Firm Textron to Deploy Surveillance Drones Against Oil Theft
