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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigeria’s crude oil production rose above its Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota in May 2026, reaching its highest level in 11 months and reinforcing the country’s position as Africa’s leading oil producer.
Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Wednesday showed that the country produced an average of 1,530,354 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) and 170,446 bpd of condensates during the month, bringing total combined production to 1.7 million bpd.
The average crude oil output represented 102 per cent of Nigeria’s OPEC production quota of 1.5 million bpd, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to boost hydrocarbon production.
According to the NUPRC, production levels remained strong throughout the month, with combined crude oil and condensate output ranging from a low of 1.51 million bpd to a peak of 1.86 million bpd.
The May production figure is the highest recorded since July 2025, when total output reached 1.71 million bpd. In crude oil terms alone, excluding condensates, the 1.53 million bpd recorded in May is the highest since January 2025, representing a 15-month high.
The latest figures also showed a month-on-month increase of 2.77 per cent from the 1.48 million bpd recorded in April 2026.
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The country’s production performance has maintained an upward trajectory over the past five months. Combined crude oil and condensate output rose from 1.48 million bpd in February to 1.54 million bpd in March, 1.66 million bpd in April and 1.7 million bpd in May.
Among the country’s major production streams, Bonny Terminal recorded the highest output with 293,870 bpd, followed by Forcados Terminal with 289,900 bpd. Qua Iboe ranked third with 173,360 bpd, while Escravos Oil Terminal contributed 135,470 bpd.
Odudu (Amenam Blend) completed the top five producing streams with an output of 63,250 bpd during the review period.
The NUPRC attributed the increase in production to stable operations across the sector, noting that there were no major pipeline or facility outages during the month.
The commission also stated that all previously scheduled turnaround maintenance activities had been successfully completed, resulting in improved operational reliability and enhanced production efficiency.
The sustained rise in output is expected to provide a boost to government revenues and foreign exchange earnings as the country continues efforts to strengthen its oil and gas sector.
