Nigeria Records Significant Boost in Oil Production, Nears OPEC Quota
Nigeria’s crude oil production surged in April, marking the country’s first month-on-month increase in output this year, according to new data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The nation pumped an average of 1,485,700 barrels of oil per day (bpd) in April, a 6.06% increase from March’s production level of 1,400,783 bpd. When condensate—an ultra-light hydrocarbon similar to crude oil—is included, the total daily production climbed from 1.603 million bpd in March to 1.683 million bpd in April.
This output puts Nigeria at 99% of its 1.5 million bpd production quota set by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), signalling a promising rebound in the country’s upstream sector.
According to the NUPRC, “Lowest and peak combined crude oil and condensate production in April were 1.60 million and 1.73 million barrels per day, respectively.” The average for the month stood at 1,683,307 bpd, with condensate contributing 197,607 bpd to the total.
Condensate, often recovered during natural gas processing, adds a significant boost to Nigeria’s overall hydrocarbon output. It is typically separated at field-level facilities when gas is depressurised and cooled.
Meanwhile, efforts to further expand production are underway. On Monday, Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, reiterated the firm’s commitment to exploring oil in Nigeria’s northern region as part of its strategy to ramp up national output.
In a related development, ExxonMobil has pledged a $1.5 billion investment in Nigeria’s deepwater oil sector. The NUPRC confirmed that the funds will be deployed between Q2 2025 and 2027 to revitalise the Usan deepwater oil field, potentially unlocking new reserves and enhancing production.
As Nigeria edges closer to meeting its OPEC quota, industry stakeholders are optimistic that sustained investments and policy support could restore the nation’s position as Africa’s top oil producer.
