November 19, (THEWILL) — Nigeria has achieved crude oil production levels of 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) multiple times in 2025, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The Commission stated that the improvement reflects a rebound in upstream investment, better security in oil-producing regions, and the impact of recently approved field development projects.
Providing an update on industry performance, NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, revealed that the country’s rig activity and development approvals have significantly expanded the sector’s productive capacity.
“Our rig count has risen to nearly 70, with over 40 rigs actively drilling. We have also approved Field Development Plans worth over $20 billion, which together have strengthened output and set the stage for sustained production stability”, Komolafe said.
According to him, these FDPs spanning both brownfield reactivations and greenfield projects are expected to unlock an estimated 1.7 billion barrels of oil and 7.7 trillion cubic feet of gas over their lifecycles.
The NUPRC boss noted that while daily production still fluctuates due to pipeline downtimes and crude theft challenges, the Commission is confident that Nigeria can consistently produce above the 1.5–1.6 million bpd threshold in the near term.
Higher rig count: Nigeria is now operating at some of its highest rig numbers in a decade.
Investment inflows: Over $20 billion in approved FDPs signal renewed investor confidence.
Better security coordination: Improved surveillance on critical pipelines has reduced shut-ins.
Reactivation of dormant assets: Several marginal fields and legacy oil blocks have come back onstream.
A more stable production level above 1.6–1.7 million bpd would:
Boost Nigeria’s dollar inflows and strengthen FX liquidity.
Support the federal government’s revenue target under the 2025 fiscal plan.
Improve Nigeria’s ability to meet OPEC+ commitments while sustaining domestic supply.
Attract additional investment into offshore projects where the risk of vandalism is lower.
NUPRC stated that its priority is to maintain stable production by addressing midstream bottlenecks, encouraging more asset development, and fast-tracking approvals. If implemented effectively, analysts believe Nigeria could maintain an average of 1.6–1.7 million bpd in 2026.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze
