Nigeria’s oil output rises to 1.459m bpd in January — OPEC
Production increases by 37,000 bpd month on month as NNPC outlines regional gas integration and investment strategy.
Nigeria’s crude oil output began 2026 on a stronger note, rising to 1.459 million barrels per day in January, according to figures submitted by the country to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and published in the group’s February 2026 Monthly Oil Market Report.
The January oil output marked an increase of 37,000 barrels per day from the 1.422 million barrels per day recorded in December 2025. It also represented a rebound from November’s production level of 1.420 million barrels per day, suggesting a gradual return to growth at the start of the year.
Data based on direct communication to OPEC showed that Nigeria averaged 1.345 million barrels per day in 2024. Production improved in 2025 to an annual average of 1.453 million barrels per day, reflecting recovery efforts in the upstream sector. OPEC calculations, however, are based strictly on crude oil output and exclude condensate production.
The 37,000 barrels per day month-on-month increase in January was among the more notable upward adjustments recorded within the organisation during the period under review. Based on declared figures, Nigeria ranked behind only Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait among OPEC members.
Saudi Arabia increased output by 16,000 barrels per day to 10.1 million barrels per day in January from 10.084 million barrels per day in December. Iraq raised production by 16,000 barrels per day to 4.097 million barrels per day, while the United Arab Emirates posted a 10,000 barrels per day increase to 3.383 million barrels per day. Libya recorded a 6,000-barrel-per-day rise to 1.378 million barrels per day.
Algeria reduced output by 1,000 barrels per day to 971,000 barrels per day, while Congo trimmed production by 6,000 barrels per day to 275,000 barrels per day. Equatorial Guinea and Gabon remained among the smallest producers within the group.
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Within Africa, Nigeria retained its position as the leading oil producer in the cartel, ahead of Libya, Algeria, Congo and Equatorial Guinea based on direct communication figures, despite ongoing production challenges in recent years.
The improvement in output comes after sustained efforts to stabilise crude production through enhanced pipeline surveillance, intensified clampdowns on oil theft and the gradual reactivation of previously shut-in wells. Nigeria’s oil production has, in recent years, been constrained by vandalism, security challenges in the Niger Delta and underinvestment in upstream infrastructure.
Across the broader alliance, OPEC reported a sharp overall decline in output last month, driven by losses in Kazakhstan, Venezuela and Iran. The 22-member alliance produced an average of 42.448 million barrels per day in January, representing a decrease of 439,000 barrels per day from the previous month.
As Nigeria works to consolidate production gains, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, outlined a broader strategy aimed at strengthening Africa’s energy architecture through cooperation among National Oil Companies.
Speaking during a fireside chat with Mr Andy Brown, Deputy Chair of Orsted and President of the Energy Institute, at the 2026 International Energy Week in London, Ojulari identified shared infrastructure, policy alignment, coordinated investment frameworks, cross-border knowledge and technology exchange, integrated gas market development and sustained regional diplomacy as essential pillars for securing Africa’s energy future.
He said ongoing regional gas initiatives demonstrate how shared assets can unlock scale, efficiency and resilience, stressing that cross-border collaboration is central to long-term energy security on the continent.
Ojulari emphasised that accelerated delivery of flagship projects such as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline is critical to strengthening regional integration and advancing cross-border energy trade.
According to him, Africa must move toward aligned pricing frameworks, transit protocols, local content standards and joint technical regulations, drawing lessons from reforms such as Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act, to reduce investment friction, safeguard cross-border infrastructure and ensure equitable access to shared energy assets.
He further called for structured joint investment platforms among African National Oil Companies, arguing that collective action would improve the continent’s ability to attract and deploy capital effectively.
On NNPC’s ambition to raise oil output, expand gas production and attract investment, Ojulari said progress would depend on a pragmatic strategy rooted in Africa’s realities while balancing global climate commitments.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability, and align with global decarbonisation objectives, while ensuring that Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” he affirmed.
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