A SaharaReporters review of data from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has shown that Nigeria recorded an increase in crude oil production per day as of January 2025, marking a positive development in the country’s oil output.
According to the data published by the NUPRC, Nigeria’s crude oil production stood at 1.737 million barrels per day in January 2025. This represents an increase from the 1.667 million barrels per day recorded in December 2024.
In November 2024, the country produced 1.690 million barrels per day, a slight improvement from October 2024, when production stood at 1.538 million barrels per day.
The trend of steady growth began after Nigeria’s output dropped to 1.447 million barrels per day in April 2024, one of the lowest levels recorded in the past two years. The increase in production since then has been attributed to ongoing efforts by the government to curb oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and improve security around key oil installations.
Despite this improvement, Nigeria’s current production level remains below its full production capacity and the figures projected by the federal government.
The government had claimed that daily crude oil production reached 1.8 million barrels in November 2024 and projected that production would hit 2.5 million barrels per day by December 2024 — a target that has not been met.
The last time Nigeria recorded crude oil production above the current figure was in March 2021, when daily output reached 1.748 million barrels.
However, production has since been hampered by several factors, including widespread sabotage, pipeline vandalism, and poor management of the country’s oil sector.
These challenges have led to Nigeria consistently falling short of its production quotas despite having the capacity to produce more.
Industry experts have called on the government to intensify efforts to address these issues, warning that continued shortfalls in crude oil production could affect the country’s revenue generation and economic growth.
While the recent increase may be a forward step in the government’s efforts, stakeholders argue that more needs to be done to secure the country’s oil infrastructure, attract investments, and optimize production capacity. (SaharaReporters)
