The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says crude oil losses from theft and metering challenges have fallen to their lowest level in nearly two decades, marking a major turnaround for the country’s oil sector.
According to data released by the Commission, daily losses in July 2025 stood at 9,600 barrels per day (bpd) — the lowest since 2009 when the figure dropped to 8,500 bpd.
Between January and July 2025, Nigeria lost a total of 2.04 million barrels of crude, averaging 9,600 bpd. This represents a 50.2 per cent reduction compared to the 4.1 million barrels lost in the whole of 2024 and a 94.6 per cent drop from 2021, when losses peaked at 37.6 million barrels (102,900 bpd) — the highest in 23 years.
“This is a clear departure from the high-loss years that have long plagued the industry,” the Commission stated.
The NUPRC credited the steady decline to reforms introduced since the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in 2021. Losses have consistently fallen year-on-year: 20.9 million barrels in 2022, 4.3 million in 2023, and 4.1 million in 2024.
To sustain the gains, the Commission said it had deployed both kinetic and non-kinetic measures, including closer collaboration with security agencies, host communities, and operators, as well as regulatory interventions to close loopholes.
It highlighted initiatives such as metering audits across upstream facilities to ensure accurate production tracking and the approval of 37 new crude evacuation routes to counter oil theft.
NUPRC described the latest figures as a “major milestone” that underscores Nigeria’s progress in safeguarding its oil infrastructure, boosting revenue, and restoring confidence in the sector.
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