NUPRC Outlines Strategies to Achieve 2.5mb/d Oil Production Target by 2025
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has unveiled its strategies for achieving the ambitious 2.5 million barrels per day (mb/d) oil production target by 2025.
Speaking at the Heirs Energies Leadership Forum in Abuja, the NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Engr Gbenga Komolafe, outlined key initiatives, including the reactivation of oil wells, regulatory reforms, and infrastructure development.
Komolafe acknowledged that current production stands at 1.75 mb/d, but expressed confidence in the Commission’s plan to reach the 2.5 mb/d goal. “Going forward, the Commission has a line of sight on how to get to our target production of 2.5 million barrels per day,” he affirmed.
He added that “in doing that, we have identified the key initiatives to actually achieve that target. We have identified the candidate wells that need to be reactivated, that need to be re-entered. And of course, we recognize that funding is key as part of the factors that need to be put in place.”
The NUPRC Chief Executive revealed that 38 oil wells have already been reopened, with plans to activate a total of 50 wells between now and the end of March 2025. “Part of what we’ve done, equally, is to facilitate the situation we are in. The funders have been working. We have set up a platform there. All the key actors, the funders, the rig owners, all of them, interact with the larger initiatives,” Komolafe explained.
“As of now, we have reached our target of 38 wells. And I want to say that, from the way we are driving the project, we are believing that between now and the end of March, we should be achieving about 50 wells. Between now and the end of March, that is our intention” he stated
Komolafe emphasized the importance of regulatory reforms in driving the industry effectively. He highlighted the ongoing digitization of the Commission’s licensing and approval processes, which he believes will significantly reduce delays and operational costs.
“That is speaking of licensing and approval processes itself translate, of course, automatically to efficiency in operations by reducing delays, reducing delays will reduce cost of operations that is overhead. So we are doing that and getting positive feedback from the industry,” he said.
While acknowledging the importance of collaboration with host communities, Komolafe stressed that the NUPRC is also focusing on increasing production from locked offshore areas. He announced an initiative to encourage coastal infrastructure development to boost crude oil production.
“As part of our processes, rather than just relying on people in the community, as part of the issue, the Commission is putting in place to ensure that the industry achieves the targeted product,” he explained.
“And apart from that, the industry will need to witness that we are concerned that a lot of our capacity to increase our production is locked in offshore areas. And for that, we are coming up with an initiative whereby the Commission will encourage coastal development in a manner to address the infrastructural challenges. So we are going to come up with an initiative in which development can be done in coasts that will leverage the economies of landscape. So all these activities that the Commission is backing up at least to ensure that we meet our targeted product.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, recalled that Nigeria produced 1.8 mb/d in January 2025. He stated that the Federal Government is deploying technology to combat corruption within the sector, which he identified as a major factor hindering its progress.
He expressed optimism that increased investment would follow. He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving a minimum of 2.5 mb/d oil production by 2025.
