The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ramping up Nigeria’s crude oil production, projecting a potential output of 2.5 million barrels per day (mbpd) in the near term a significant leap from current levels.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, made the disclosure during a briefing with energy correspondents in Abuja on Thursday. He noted that recent gains in security across the Niger Delta, alongside renewed investments in upstream infrastructure, have positioned the country to meet its ambitious production target.
“By working collaboratively with international oil companies, local producers, and host communities, we are seeing a steady increase in production levels. We believe hitting 2.5 million barrels per day is not just possible, but imminent,” Lokpobiri said.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has struggled in recent years with underinvestment, pipeline vandalism, and oil theft — issues that have consistently kept output below its OPEC quota. However, the minister cited improved surveillance, policy reforms, and upstream development projects as key drivers behind the optimistic forecast.
As of July 2025, Nigeria’s crude oil output hovered around 1.6 mbpd, excluding condensates. The renewed push to raise production, analysts say, could bolster the country’s foreign exchange earnings and provide much-needed relief to the nation’s economy, which continues to grapple with inflation and currency volatility.
Industry stakeholders welcomed the government’s renewed focus, but urged caution, noting that consistent policy implementation and infrastructure maintenance would be critical to sustaining higher production levels.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been tasked with ensuring that licensing, monitoring, and regulatory processes remain transparent and efficient to attract further investment.
If achieved, the 2.5 mbpd milestone would mark Nigeria’s highest production level in over a decade, reinforcing its strategic role within OPEC and global energy markets.
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