Nigeria tops OPEC quota with 1.53 mbpd crude output in May

In May 2026 Nigeria’s crude oil production rose to 1.53 million barrels per day, and when condensates (170,446 bpd) are added total output reached 1.7008 million bpd. This represents 102 % of the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd, the first time the quota has been exceeded since mid‑2025 and the highest combined output in 11‑15 months.

Production grew 2.8 % from April’s 1.489 million bpd, with the month‑on‑month increase driven by stable upstream operations, completed turnaround maintenance and improved pipeline security. Major terminals contributed: Bonny (≈293,870 bpd), Forcados (≈289,900 bpd), Qua Iboe (≈173,360 bpd), Escravos (≈135,470 bpd) and Odudu/Amenam Blend (≈63,250 bpd). The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) attributed the rise to sustained operational reliability.

The output boost is expected to strengthen government revenue, foreign‑exchange earnings and external reserves, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest oil producer, even as overall OPEC‑DoC production fell in the same period.