Nigeria’s crude oil production has increased significantly to about 1.84 million barrels per day (mbpd), according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The development drew commendation from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who praised the commission for the notable improvement and urged it to sustain the momentum toward the government’s target of 2mbpd.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the NUPRC Head of Media and Corporate Communication, Eniola Akinkuotu, following a visit by the commission’s Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, to the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking during the meeting, Edun described the rise in production as encouraging and aligned with the economic agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
> “It is heartening that you can tell us that you are doing 1.84 million barrels per day. That is fantastic news and totally in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu,” the minister said.
He further urged the commission to maintain the upward trajectory, stressing that the ultimate benchmark remains 2 million barrels per day.
> “What matters is not just reaching certain heights but sustaining it. We don’t want any stoppage along the way. The trajectory should be maintained, and of course the magic figure is 2mbpd,” Edun added.
Earlier, Eyesan confirmed that current daily production had reached 1.84mbpd, describing it as a major milestone while expressing confidence that output would rise further.
She explained that the decline recorded in February was caused by disruptions on critical oil facilities and scheduled turnaround maintenance.
> “But all that has been fixed, and we are now seeing production ramping up,” she said.
On the 2025 licensing round, the NUPRC chief stated that the process had entered its technical and financial evaluation stage, expressing optimism that the exercise would stimulate further sector growth.
She highlighted the impact of the “drill or drop” provision in the Petroleum Industry Act, which empowers the commission to revoke dormant oil leases, noting that some of the acreages on offer could begin production within a year.
According to her, indigenous oil firms have continued to demonstrate strong operational capacity.
Eyesan also revealed that the commission had fully complied with Executive Order 9 of 2026, which suspended the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund deduction from profit oil and gas, along with other management fees, directing their immediate remittance to the federation account.
The latest figures indicate that Nigeria’s total oil production, including crude and condensates, rose sharply from 1.48mbpd in February to 1.84mbpd in March.
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