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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has launched an aggressive drive to attract global and local investors, as it placed 50 oil and gas blocks on offer in Nigeria’s 2025 Oil Licensing Round.
Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Wednesday during a Pre-Bid Webinar organised by the Commission to guide companies seeking to participate in the bid round, which was formally launched on December 1, 2025.
Eyesan said the licensing round is designed to lower entry barriers and reposition Nigeria as a competitive investment destination, stressing that the process is built on transparency, clarity and strict adherence to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
She explained that the bid round covers blocks located in frontier basins, onshore, shallow water and deep offshore terrains, offering investors diverse opportunities across the upstream value chain.
According to her, the exercise is not merely about allocating acreages but about attracting serious partners willing to inject capital, deploy modern technology and fast-track assets from licence award to full production.
The NUPRC boss further stated that, with the approval of President Bola Tinubu, signature bonuses for the 2025 bid round have been set within a value-range framework aimed at reducing upfront costs for investors and shifting focus to what matters most, which are; technical competence, credible work programmes and financial capacity.
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She noted that the bidding process would follow five key stages, namely; registration, pre-qualification, data acquisition, technical bid submission, and evaluation with a commercial bid conference, adding that only bidders with proven technical and financial strength would advance.
Eyesan noted that the winners would emerge through a transparent, merit-based process, open to public and international scrutiny, with oversight from agencies such as the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
She added that all licensing materials have been uploaded on the Commission’s portal since December 1, 2025, while dedicated support channels were created to promptly respond to investor enquiries.
According to her, the Pre-Bid Webinar, the first of its kind, was organised to clarify requirements, eliminate ambiguities and ensure a well-informed and competitive bidding process ahead of the tender deadline.
“Let me state clearly, that the bid process will comply with the PIA 2021, promote use of digital tools, for smooth data access and remain open to public, and international and institutional scrutiny, through partners like NEITI, and other oversight agencies. Indeed, transparency is an integral part of our process.
“In closing, the 2025 Licensing Round is not just a bidding exercise. It is a clear signal of a reimagined upstream sector, anchored on the rule of law, driven by data and aligned with global investment realities,” Eyesan said.
