Nigeria’s oil output falls 37,000bpd to 1.546m bpd — OPEC

By Udeme Akpan & Obas Esiedesa, Abuja Nigeria’s daily oil production declined by four per cent in July 2026, to 1.67 million barrels per day (mbpd) from 1.74mbpd recorded in June, according to the latest production data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). However, the figures showed that Nigeria sustained production above the 1.5mbpd OPEC quota for the third consecutive month in July. According to the NUPRC data, the country produced 1.505mbpd of crude oil and 0.17mbpd of condensate during the month, bringing total daily production to 1.67mbpd.

Daily combined crude oil and condensate production peaked at 1.78mbpd during the month, while the lowest output stood at 1.57mbpd. The July performance followed production of 1.70mbpd in May and 1.74mbpd in June. Earlier in the year, production stood at 1.663mbpd in April, 1.546mbpd in March, 1.483mbpd in February and 1.627mbpd in January.

The NUPRC attributed the July decline to operational challenges at the Erha and Akpo fields, which affected production output during the period under review. The regulator said the disruptions constrained production volumes and contributed significantly to the reduction in national output. Despite the challenges, production operations across most other producing assets remained relatively stable, with operators implementing measures to maintain production efficiency and minimise the impact of operational constraints.

The latest figures indicate that while Nigeria continues to maintain production above its OPEC quota, operational disruptions at key producing assets remain a factor affecting overall output. Meanwhile, the Federal Government (FG) is weighing major changes to its crude oil pricing and allocation rules to give domestic refiners, including the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery, better and cheaper access to feedstock. The proposed reforms to the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) are expected to be discussed this week during a regulator-led review, according to the Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN).

CORAN spokesperson, Eche Idoko, said the new proposals were being considered and, if approved, would enable refineries to source crude oil directly from oil and gas producing companies. In another development, price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, recorded marginal declines at several depots… By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor Nigeria’s crude oil production, excluding condensate, fell by 37,000 barrels per day, bpd, to 1.546 million bpd in July 2026, from 1.583 million bpd in June, according to the latest report by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

The decline, based on secondary sources cited by OPEC, represents a 2.3 per cent month-on-month reduction in the country’s crude oil output. The figures were contained in OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report, which showed that Nigeria remained one of Africa’s major crude oil producers despite the July decline. OPEC’s data showed that Nigeria’s production rose from an average of 1.453 million bpd in the first quarter of 2026 to 1.552 million bpd in the second quarter.