Nigeria plans December launch for 2025 licensing round

LAGOS, November 13, 2025 – Nigeria will begin its 2025 licensing round for oil and gas blocks on December 1, 2025, following presidential approval, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said on Tuesday.

Details on the licences to be offered were not released.

The announcement was made by NUPRC chief executive Gbenga Komolafe during the Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum in London. He said the move aligns with the Petroleum Industry Act and aims to drive investment and increase daily crude output.

Komolafe said 46 Field Development Plans had been approved in 2025 and that Nigeria’s rig count had risen above 60, with at least 40 currently active. Crude production now averages 1.71 million bopd, with a peak of 1.83 million bopd this year.

“The drive to reach and sustain one million barrels per day in incremental capacity… will require FPSOs, FSOs, modular offshore production units and early production facilities,” he said.

Komolafe added that connecting stakeholders to funding would be key to success. “We want you all to network. Bank of America is here as well as representatives of other banks,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Nigerian lawmakers affirmed their support for investment and the existing Petroleum Industry Act. OPEC governing board chairman Ademola Adeyemi Bero said the sector remained vital to President Tinubu’s USD 1-trillion economic growth plan.

NUPRC is Nigeria’s upstream petroleum regulator, overseeing exploration, licensing and production. It works to attract investment and ensure compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act.

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