NUPRC Flags Erha, Akpo Fields for 65,000 bpd Drop in Crude Production

…Says Nigeria Sustained OPEC Quota Despite Fall in July Output

By Emmanuel Olugua
Nigeria’s crude oil production declined by about four per cent in July, largely due to operational disruptions at two major offshore fields, but the country still exceeded its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota for the third consecutive month, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The latest production figures released by the commission showed that Nigeria produced an average of 1.505 million barrels of crude oil per day in July, marginally above its OPEC production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day.

With condensate production averaging about 170,000 barrels per day, the country’s combined crude oil and condensate output stood at 1.67 million barrels per day during the month.

Although July’s performance represented a decline from the 1.735 million barrels per day recorded in June, the regulator said Nigeria’s continued compliance with its OPEC quota reflected sustained improvements in the country’s upstream petroleum sector.

The NUPRC, in a statement issued by its Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, noted that Nigeria had now exceeded its OPEC production target for three consecutive months.

“Nigeria has for the third consecutive month met and exceeded its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day. In the month of July 2026, Nigeria produced 1.505 million barrels per day of crude oil and 0.17 million barrels per day of condensate, bringing the combined daily production to 1.67 million barrels per day,” the commission stated.

It, however, acknowledged that crude production fell by approximately 65,000 barrels per day compared with June, representing a month-on-month decline of about 3.75 per cent.

According to the commission, daily combined production fluctuated between a low of 1.57 million barrels per day and a peak of 1.78 million barrels per day during the reporting period.

The regulator attributed the temporary decline primarily to operational challenges at the Erha and Akpo offshore fields, which constrained production volumes during the month.

“These disruptions constrained production volumes and contributed significantly to the overall reduction in national crude oil output,” the commission explained.

Despite the setbacks, NUPRC said production activities across other producing assets remained largely stable, with operators implementing measures to sustain efficiency and minimise the impact of the disruptions.

The commission added that routine crude production and evacuation operations continued across most producing terminals, while industry operators were working to restore the affected facilities and recover lost production capacity.

“Industry stakeholders remain focused on addressing the identified operational issues, restoring affected production capacity and strengthening asset reliability to support improved performance in subsequent months,” the statement added.

Despite the July decline, Nigeria’s production performance has remained significantly stronger than at the beginning of the year.

Combined crude oil and condensate production rose steadily from 1.459 million barrels per day in January to 1.483 million in February, 1.564 million in March, 1.663 million in April, 1.701 million in May, and 1.735 million barrels per day in June before easing to 1.67 million barrels per day in July.

Compared with January, July’s output was higher by approximately 211,000 barrels per day, representing an increase of about 14.5 per cent.

The production breakdown showed that Forcados Terminal remained Nigeria’s largest producing stream in July, recording an average output of 322,340 barrels per day.

Bonny Terminal followed with 303,720 barrels per day, while Qua Iboe Terminal ranked third with an average production of 158,020 barrels per day of crude oil and condensates.

Escravos Oil Terminal recorded an average production of 131,410 barrels per day, while the Bonga stream contributed about 100,230 barrels per day.

The Federal Government has continued to prioritise higher crude oil production as a key driver of revenue generation, foreign exchange earnings, and investment growth in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.

The latest figures suggest that while operational challenges remain, Nigeria has largely stabilised production levels and maintained compliance with its OPEC production commitments, reinforcing confidence in the country’s oil sector.