REFORMS: Oil output has grown by 600,000bpd since PIA — NNPC

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja Nigeria’s crude oil production has increased by 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), from about 1.2 million bpd to 1.8 million bpd, following the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and reforms in the oil and gas sector, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said. Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this yesterday at the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Speaking at an Energy Talk titled, “Nigeria’s Reform Agenda: Competing for Energy Capital,” Ojulari attributed the production increase to the implementation of the PIA 2021, improved investment climate, better investment decisions and stronger collaboration between NNPC and its partners. He said the company was working towards achieving Nigeria’s two million bpd production ambition by 2027 through improved maintenance of existing infrastructure, protection of base production, increased output from producing assets and execution of new projects.

“The figure of 1.8 million barrels per day is a stage in a journey towards our objective. We are concentrating on the basics, which are maintaining our infrastructure, protecting base operations and executing the projects that will take production higher,” he said. On domestic energy supply, the NNPC boss said the removal of petrol subsidy had been accompanied by a major compressed natural gas (CNG) programme, with more than 400 conversion centres established across the country.

He added that over 1,000 trucks used in transporting petroleum products had also been converted to run on CNG. Ojulari disclosed that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline was completed in August 2026, while the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline was expected to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of the year to support power generation, data centres and industrial hubs.

On gas development, he said NNPC was targeting national production of 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bscf/d by 2030, supported by the development of domestic and international markets. He also said the countries involved in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline had aligned and executed the necessary agreements, while Nigeria, Algeria and Niger had reached alignment on the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.

On investment, Ojulari cited major projects, including TotalEnergies’ Ubeta, Shell’s Bonga South-West and Eni’s Zabazaba developments, noting that commercial agreements covering about $20 billion in investments had been concluded. He added that NNPC was building new relationships with international partners, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Chinese investors in Nigeria’s refineries, while working with global oilfield service companies to expand capacity in the country.

According to him, a baseline assessment of NNPC’s asset base and infrastructure has also provided management with a clearer understanding of the company’s portfolio, its strengths and areas requiring improvement. He said the board and management were committed to delivering on the mandate given to the company by President Bola Tinubu. “Our track record will be judged by what is done and not by what is said,” he stated.

Ojulari reaffirmed NNPC’s commitment to transparency and execution excellence, citing two consecutive earnings calls organised by the company as part of efforts to strengthen accountability.