Reforms Boost Nigeria’s Crude Production by 600,000 bpd – Ojulari
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) says reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have added 600,000 barrels per day (bps). The company said the reforms raised national crude oil production from 1.2 million bpd to 1.8 million bpd.
Mr Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Limited, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in United Arab Emirates.
According to a statement from company, Ojulari spoke during Energy Talk titled “Nigeria’s Reform Agenda: Competing for Energy Capital”. He said that the development had placed Nigeria in a stronger position to attract international energy capital.
He attributed the output growth to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA, 2021), an improved investment climate, better investment decisions, and closer collaboration between NNPC Limited and its partners.
“The company is now working towards the two million barrels per day ambition by 2027, by maintaining existing infrastructure, protecting base production, increasing output from producing assets, and advancing new projects scheduled to raise production.
“The figure of 1.8 million barrels per day is a stage in a journey towards our objective.
“We are concentrating on the basics, like maintaining our infrastructure, protecting base operations and executing the projects that will take production higher,” he said.
On the domestic market, Ojulari said the fuel subsidy removal had been accompanied by a major Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme, with over 400 CNG conversion centres established and more than 1,000 trucks that move petroleum products now running on CNG.
He said that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline was completed in August 2026. According to him, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline is expected to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of the year for power generation, data centres and industrial hubs.
Ojulari said NNPC Limited’s board and management were working hard to meet the company’s projections as set out in the mandate given to it by President Bola Tinubu.
He said that a baseline assessment of the company’s asset base and infrastructure had given management a full understanding of its portfolio, including its strengths and the areas requiring improvement.
“Our track record will be judged by what is done and not by what is said.” On regional gas supply, the NNPC boss said all the countries involved in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline had aligned and executed the necessary agreements.
He said Nigeria, Algeria and Niger had aligned on the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.
Ojulari said that NNPC Limited was targeting national gas production of 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030, supported by the development of domestic and export markets for Nigerian gas.
On international interest in Nigeria, he cited major projects including TotalEnergies’ Ubeta, Shell’s Bonga South-West and Eni’s Zabazaba developments. He said commercial agreements covering about $ 20 billion in investment had been concluded.
“NNPC Limited is building new relationships with partners, including ADNOC and Chinese investors in Nigeria’s refineries, and is working with global service companies to expand service capacity in the country Market Wrap: Oil Prices Inched Higher Slightly in 5 Days
