Nigeria’s Crude Oil Production Reaches Record High
Nigeria’s crude oil production has achieved a record high, reaching its highest levels in 15 months, solidifying the country’s status as Africa’s leading oil producer. According to data from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the country produced an average of 1.53 million barrels per day (bpd) in May.
When including condensate production of 170,446 bpd, Nigeria’s average total hydrocarbon production climbed to 1.7 million barrels per day. The NUPRC stated that May’s figures showed an average of 1,530,354 barrels of crude oil and 170,446 barrels of condensate daily, confirming Nigeria’s dominant position in Africa’s oil sector.
Notably, this production level represents 102% of Nigeria’s OPEC production quota, which stands at 1.5 million bpd. The achievement marks a significant milestone for the country’s oil industry, with total production reaching its peak since July of the previous year when combined crude oil and condensate production hit 1.71 million bpd.
Excluding condensate production, the 1.53 million bpd signifies Nigeria’s strongest performance since January 2025, where production also approached similar heights. Furthermore, the results indicate that the crude oil output excluding condensate has reached a 15-month high.
Despite these impressive gains in oil production, communities in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta are grappling with severe pollution from oil and gas activities. As the government pursues new exploration targets, restoration initiatives in the region have fallen behind, leading to growing concerns about the neglect of community welfare amid the drive for increased production.
Monthly Production Volume Shows Positive Growth
In terms of month-on-month changes, crude oil production not accounting for condensate saw a rise of 2.8% from the April figure of 1.48 million bpd. This upward trend has persisted over the last five months, with production figures growing from 1.48 million bpd in February to 1.54 million bpd in March, 1.66 million bpd in April, and ultimately 1.7 million bpd in May. This consistent increase points to improved operational efficiency within the upstream sector despite the challenges faced by the global oil market.
Status of Major Production Streams
Among Nigeria’s key production terminals, Bonny terminal led with the highest output, contributing 293,870 bpd. Following closely was Forcados terminal with 289,900 bpd, and Cua Iboe recorded 173,360 bpd. Additionally, Escravos oil terminal accounted for 135,470 bpd, while Odudu (Amenam Blend) rounded out the top five production streams with 63,250 bpd.
Operational Stability Fuels Increased Production
The NUPRC attributes the uptick in production performance to stable operations across the oil industry. The commission reported no significant pipeline disruptions or facility outages during the review period. Furthermore, all planned maintenance programs were executed successfully, thereby enhancing operational reliability and boosting production efficiency.
These latest production figures are anticipated to bolster government revenue and strengthen confidence in ongoing efforts to enhance Nigeria’s oil capacity. This comes at a time when production has consistently exceeded OPEC quotas, with the industry eyeing continued growth in the coming months.
