Nigeria: NUPRC Approves 595 Well Re-Entries, 145 New Drilling Operations, Rig Count Hits 100

What the report says

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said it has approved 595 well re-entries, 145 new drilling operations and 39 Field Development Plans so far in 2026, as Nigeria’s rig count climbed to 100, with 46 rigs currently active. The update was delivered in Lagos at the management session of the 44th annual conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, according to This Day’s report distributed by AllAfrica.

NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, represented by Deputy Director Ahmad Abdullahi, said the approvals are meant to support higher oil output, draw investment and reinforce energy security. The commission also said faster approvals have helped reduce project delays and costs for operators, while ensuring that development plans move forward in line with production goals. The conference theme focused on energy security, resilience and competitiveness in the face of global disruption.

The report also placed the approvals in the context of recent production gains. NUPRC data showed Nigeria averaged 1.687 million barrels of crude oil and condensate per day in October 2026, slightly above its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day. Excluding condensate, the country has met its crude quota for six straight months, according to the regulator.

NUPRC said the stronger output has been supported by more stable operations, better uptime and improved crude evacuation. Forcados, Bonny, Qua Iboe, Escravos and Bonga were listed among the main producing terminals in the month reviewed.