Nigeria's oil output hits 5-year high as production reaches 1.71 million bpd
Nigeria’s crude oil production has risen to 1.71 million barrels per day between April 2025 and April 2026, marking the country’s highest level in five years, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
Black News 
![Nigeria’s oil sector records its strongest output in five years as production rises to 1.71 million barrels per day, driven by reforms, infrastructure upgrades, and expanded gas supply deals. [Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images]](https://ocdn.eu/pulscms/MDA_/f9ce6a0e8e55798047729a75f86ba2fc.jpg)
Nigeria’s crude oil production has risen to 1.71 million barrels per day between April 2025 and April 2026, marking the country’s highest level in five years, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
- Nigeria’s crude oil production has climbed to 1.71 million barrels per day, its highest level in five years, according to NNPC.
- The growth was supported by upstream improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and sustained gas output of 7.5 billion standard cubic feet per day.
- Key projects, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline crossing, helped strengthen supply reliability.
- NNPC also highlighted governance reforms, expanded industrial gas deals, and its consolidated stake in the Dangote Refinery.
The state-owned oil firm said the increase reflects improvements in upstream operations and a series of ongoing sector reforms aimed at stabilising output and boosting investor confidence.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari disclosed the figures in the company’s One-Year Mandate Report Summary published on the social media platform X, noting that production gains were supported by infrastructure upgrades and operational adjustments across the value chain.
According to the report, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited achieved a peak output of 565,000 barrels per day in December 2025, while natural gas production was maintained at 7.5 billion standard cubic feet per day.
Ojulari said infrastructure delivery played a central role in strengthening supply reliability, citing the completion of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline river crossing and the commissioning of several gas processing facilities.
“We have improved operational performance across the value chain, from production to gas development and infrastructure delivery,” he said.
The company also highlighted expanded gas supply agreements with major industrial users, including Dangote Cement and Dangote Refinery, as part of efforts to deepen domestic gas utilisation and support industrial demand.
NNPC said it had consolidated its 7.25 per cent equity stake in the Dangote Refinery and introduced an incorporated joint venture model for refinery operations, aimed at improving efficiency and financial autonomy.
In addition, the company pointed to governance and transparency reforms, including monthly performance reporting, its first earnings call held in November 2025, and continued remittances to Nigeria’s federation account since July 2025.
The company said these developments reflect broader efforts to enhance accountability, expand production capacity, and attract long-term investment into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
