Nigeria’s crude oil production declined marginally to 1.422 million barrels per day (bpd) in December 2025, down from 1.436 million bpd recorded in November, according to the latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) released by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday.
The data indicate that Africa’s largest oil producer has now failed to meet its OPEC-assigned production quota for the fifth consecutive month, underscoring persistent output challenges despite ongoing reforms in the country’s upstream oil and gas sector.
OPEC figures show that Nigeria last met its production target in July 2025, with output remaining below quota from August through December.
Quarterly production data for 2025 point to a steady downward trend:
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Q1: 1.468 million bpd
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Q2: 1.481 million bpd
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Q3: 1.444 million bpd
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Q4: 1.42 million bpd
The sustained decline highlights structural and operational constraints, including infrastructure limitations, security concerns and underinvestment, which continue to weigh on Nigeria’s oil production capacity.
OPEC compiles production data using two methodologies: direct communication from member countries and estimates from secondary sources such as independent energy intelligence agencies.
While Nigeria’s output declined based on figures submitted through direct communication, secondary source estimates painted a more optimistic picture. According to these sources, Nigeria produced 1.5 million bpd in December, representing a 1.35 per cent increase from the 1.48 million bpd recorded in November.
Despite missing its quota, Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s largest oil producer during the period, ahead of Libya, which produced 1.37 million bpd in December.