NUPRC opens 2026 licensing round portal Nov 20, offers 40 oil/gas blocks
NUPRC CEO Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan told investors at ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi Monday that Nigeria's 2026 oil and gas licensing round portal opens November 20, offering 40 blocks across Niger Delta onshore, shallow and deep offshore, plus frontier basins including Benue Trough, Chad Basin, Anambra and Benin Basins. The commission touts improved investment climate from the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act and Tinubu's executive orders—four licensing rounds since 2021 have drawn new investment, a shift from the pre-PIA era.
Nigeria sits on 215 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves but produces only 7 billion cubic feet daily. Eyesan said recently completed gas infrastructure and two major pipeline projects—Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline and Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline—position Nigeria to supply Europe and the region. The 2025 round attracted 143 companies bidding for 37 of 50 blocks; 31 firms won. Frontier basins drew interest for the first time. NUPRC also targets restoring 788,000 bpd of shut-in production and advancing $30-50 billion in offshore projects toward final investment decisions.
Registration opens November 20 at the NUPRC portal. With gas demand rising globally and Nigeria's fiscal framework now competitive, will you explore the 40 blocks on offer or wait for the next round?