NNPC Exploration and Production Limited has achieved its strongest crude oil output in more than three decades, reaching 355,000 barrels per day on December 1, 2025. The company confirmed the milestone in a statement issued by NNPC Limited’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh. It represents NNPC E&P’s highest output since 1989 and underscores renewed momentum in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
Production has risen steadily. Average daily output increased from 203,000bpd in 2023 to 312,000bpd in 2025, a 52 percent jump. According to the statement, the improvement stems from stronger operations, disciplined asset management and structured field development.
Momentum Strengthens as Nigeria Targets Higher Output
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Bayo Ojulari, said the milestone shows that Nigeria’s energy revival “is already happening.” He explained that NNPC E&P’s ability to surpass its own benchmarks demonstrates that the essential building blocks for national output growth are now firmly in place.
Moreover, Ojulari noted that the achievement increases investor confidence and helps Nigeria move closer to its broader production targets of 2 million bpd by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030. Consequently, the company’s performance provides clarity for partners who have questioned Nigeria’s reliability as a crude supplier.
Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, added that the milestone reflects responsible operations. He stressed that sustainable progress must protect worker safety, community wellbeing and environmental standards. Therefore, higher output should come through discipline rather than shortcuts.
Sector Reforms Drive Recovery After Years of Decline
Nigeria’s crude sector has faced prolonged challenges. Output repeatedly fell below OPEC quotas because of pipeline vandalism, crude theft, underinvestment and the decline of mature fields. Between 2021 and 2023, production even slipped to multi-decade lows, raising concerns about lost revenue and long-term capacity.
However, reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, the commercialisation of NNPC Limited and targeted interventions have sought to reverse the slide. NNPC E&P—responsible for key joint venture and production-sharing assets—has become central to this recovery. The company has improved contractor alignment, strengthened governance and revived previously underperforming fields. As a result, output has rebounded sharply.
The 355,000bpd performance, its highest since 1989, represents a major step toward stabilising national production. It also reinforces Nigeria’s effort to rebuild investor confidence and reassert its position as a dependable crude supplier.
