NNPC E&P Achieves 355,000bpd, Highest Output in 36 Years
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s upstream subsidiary, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NNPC E&P), has recorded its highest daily crude oil production in over three decades, hitting 355,000 barrels per day on December 1, 2025.
The milestone, confirmed by NNPC Limited’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, marks the biggest output since 1989 and signals a strong recovery for Nigeria’s upstream sector.
NNPC E&P’s average daily production rose by 52 per cent in just two years, increasing from 203,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 312,000 barrels per day in 2025. The company attributes this growth to disciplined asset management, structured field development, and strengthened operational systems.
Group CEO Bayo Ojulari described the achievement as proof that Nigeria’s energy revival “is not a dream but already happening.” He said the milestone demonstrates that the building blocks for scaling national output are being firmly established, bringing closer the presidential targets of two million barrels per day by 2027 and three million barrels per day by 2030.
Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, emphasized that the growth reflects responsible and sustainable operations. He noted that NEPL’s approach ensures that higher production does not compromise worker safety, community wellbeing, or environmental protection.
Nigeria’s crude oil sector has faced challenges over the past decade, including pipeline vandalism, crude theft, underinvestment, deferred maintenance, and declining performance of mature fields. These issues caused production to fall below OPEC quotas at times, raising concerns about revenue losses and the sector’s long-term viability.
Reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, the unbundling of NNPC into a commercial entity, and targeted upstream interventions have aimed to reverse these declines. NNPC E&P, which manages several joint venture and production-sharing assets, has played a central role in the revival by implementing field optimization strategies, improving governance, and reviving underperforming assets.
The record 355,000bpd output represents a major step toward stabilizing Nigeria’s crude oil production, boosting investor confidence, and reaffirming the country’s position as a reliable global supplier.
