Nigeria's gas reserves grow by over 4 Tcf in one year, Report shows

Gas and crude oil reserves now estimated to last for roughly 85 years and 59 years respectively.

An updated report from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Commission (NUPRC) reveals the country’s proven gas reserves rose by 4.65 Tcf in the year to 1 January 2026.  

NUPRC said reserves increased by 2.21%, from 210.54 Tcf in January 2025 to 215.19 Tcf, driven by new discoveries, improved reservoir studies, updated technical evaluations, subsurface analysis and regulatory reforms that have boosted upstream investment.  

Of the total, Non‑Associated Gas (NAG)—gas found in independent reservoirs—accounts for 114.98 Tcf, while Associated Gas (AG), produced alongside crude oil, stands at 100.21 Tcf.  

By contrast, Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate reserves fell slightly by 0.74%, from 37.28bn barrels to 37.01bn barrels, a decline attributed to sustained production activity throughout 2025.  

At current output levels, NUPRC estimates Nigeria’s gas reserves could last about 85 years, while oil reserves may sustain production for roughly 59 years.  

Bavijas recently reported the signing of a 3D seismic data acquisition contract between NUPRC, SeaSeis and TGS for PEL 5, a deepwater acreage that covers more than 11,000 square kilometres in the Niger Delta region.