Nigeria's oil output sees significant rebound, NUPRC says
The regulator targets 2.5m b/d by end of 2026
Nigeria’s daily oil production has rebounded to 1.84m b/d—the highest such volume in recent years—following a recovery from lower levels in February and March.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the CEO of NUPRC, the country’s upstream oil regulator, revealed this on 2 April during a meeting with the Finance Minister Wale Edun in Abuja.
Eyesan said: “We are doing 1.84 million barrels per day. That is a remarkable feat but I am sure we will do more.” It was not specified if this was a prevailing daily average or just a one-time peak, nor was it stated how much of the volume was crude oil and how much condensates.
This figure represents a notable improvement from February 2026, when production dipped to roughly 1.31m b/d.
Recent dips in production have been attributed to technical issues at strategic facilities and scheduled turnaround maintenance at key fields. “But all that has been fixed and we are seeing production ramping up,” she said.
Shell’s Bonga FPSO vessel was offline from 1 February for mandatory maintenance but returned to operations on 6 March, effectively adding 200,000 b/d of oil and 150 mmcf/d of processed gas to Nigeria’s already strained volume.
Coincidentally, Nigeria’s 2026 national budget is anchored on a daily oil production assumption of 1.84m b/d, the current output volume reported by NUPRC. The crude oil price benchmark is set at $60/bbl.
In April 2026, at the current production rate, Nigeria is expected to exceed the 1.5m b/d OPEC quota, which has been extended through December 2026. The country has consistently failed to meet its OPEC quota for six consecutive months, with the last successful month being July 2025.
Mind you, NUPRC reported a daily output peak of 1.85m b/d back in August 2025, although average production for the month was lower.
NUPRC push for more oil
Earlier, on 31 March, Eyesan said Nigeria is “back on the upward trajectory.”
In the short term, the Federal Government and NUPRC are actively pushing to reach and sustain a target of 2m b/d through deepwater exploration and the “drill or drop” mandate for dormant oil blocks.
The long-term goal remains reaching 2.5m b/d by the end of 2026, as set by NUPRC’s former CEO, Gbenga Komolafe, in August 2025.
Edun acknowledged the progress but warned: “What matters is not just reaching certain heights but sustaining it. We don’t want any stopping along the way.”
He added: “The trajectory should be maintained and of course the magic figure is 2m b/d… clearly, you have started on a very good note. Please keep it up.”
Eyesan also said the ongoing 2025 oil licensing round is currently in its technical and financial stage, and that some of the offered blocks could reach development within a year after award
Furthermore, NUPRC has recently signed a landmark seismic data acquisition contract for a major deepwater acreage in the oil-rich Niger Delta.