The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that the 2025 Oil Licensing Round will officially begin on December 1, 2025, marking another key milestone in Nigeria’s bid to expand crude oil and gas production.
The announcement was made by Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of NUPRC, during the Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum held in London on Tuesday.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Komolafe confirmed the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, saying, “We are announcing that we are ready under the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources in line with the PIA commence the 2025 licensing round beginning from December 1, 2025.” The new licensing round, he explained, will unlock undeveloped and fallow oil and gas fields, with a focus on gas-rich assets that align with Nigeria’s energy transition goals.
According to Komolafe, the 2025 licensing round seeks to accelerate upstream output and bring previously discovered but unexploited fields into commercial production. This move supports Nigeria’s broader objective of achieving an additional 1 million barrels per day (1MMBOPD) in oil production capacity, a goal the government has repeatedly emphasized as central to economic stability and energy security.
Licensing rounds have long been central to Nigeria’s oil and gas investment strategy, dating back to major rounds in 2000, 2005, and 2007. Although these exercises attracted global interest, many awarded blocks faced challenges such as technical hurdles, financing difficulties, and regulatory delays that slowed progress.
The 2025 licensing round follows the government’s successful conclusion of the 2024 exercise, the first conducted under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. Several indigenous oil and gas companies received Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs), allowing them to explore and produce from onshore and offshore blocks. In June, NUPRC dismissed allegations of irregularities in that round, emphasizing that the process was transparent, competitive, and technology-driven.
The regulator stated that the commercial bidding phase was conducted digitally using encrypted systems to preserve data integrity, with results announced live in the presence of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other key government stakeholders.
For the 2025 licensing round, NUPRC has pledged improved regulatory clarity and investor-friendly terms under the PIA framework. The Commission will soon release comprehensive guidelines outlining available oil blocks, pre-qualification criteria, and application procedures to ensure transparency and attract global investors.
NUPRC has also reported a strong rebound in upstream activity, highlighted by a surge in the national rig count from eight in 2021 to 69 as of October 2, 2025. The increase signals renewed investor confidence and a rebound in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector following years of underinvestment.
The upcoming licensing round is expected to further open Nigeria’s hydrocarbon landscape to foreign and local investors, particularly those seeking gas-focused assets to power Africa’s largest economy through its energy transition era.
