NNPC clarifies licensing authority and reports production growth

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd) has clarified that the responsibility for conducting oil licensing rounds and allocating oil blocks rests with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), rather than the NNPC. This statement, issued by Chief Corporate Communications Officer Andy Odeh, responds to reports from the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF) that questioned the management of Group CEO Bayo Ojulari regarding recent licensing activities.

NNPC Ltd emphasized that under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, it operates strictly as a commercial entity without regulatory or allocative powers.

The company also reported growth in production metrics. Average crude oil production, including condensate, rose from 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) in April 2025 to 1.67 mbpd by April 2026, representing a 6% increase. Additionally, gas production grew by 5%, rising from an average of 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd in April 2026.