Nigeria’s crude oil output hits 1.56 million bpd in June, beats OPEC quota
Nigeria’s crude oil output rose to an average of 1.56 million barrels per day in June 2026, the highest monthly level since April 2020 and 104% of its OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd. Combined crude oil and condensate production reached 1,735,398 barrels per day, with condensates adding 0.18 million bpd. Output has risen for four straight months, rising from 1.483 million bpd in February to 1.735 million bpd in June, a 2.2% month‑on‑month increase. The NUPRC credited steady operations, the absence of major pipeline outages, and improved crude evacuation for the gains. Despite past challenges from theft, vandalism and underinvestment, Nigeria kept its place as Africa’s top oil producer, outpacing Libya, Algeria, Congo and Gabon. Recent steps to tighten pipeline security and attract upstream investment have supported the rebound. Analyst Austin Avuru said in April 2026 that output could reach 2.3 million bpd by 2030 as investment returns, while ExxonMobil’s $1 billion Usan Infill project should add about 40,000 bpd. The government’s 2026 oil‑production benchmark is 2.6 million bpd, though the budget uses a more conservative 1.8 million bpd. In Q1 2026 the country supplied only 28.5 million barrels to domestic refineries against an allocation of 61.9 million barrels. Higher output could boost state revenues and foreign‑exchange earnings, provided investment, stability and infrastructure improvements continue. Will Nigeria sustain this upward trend to meet its long‑term production goals, or will theft and infrastructure gaps keep output below target?