Oil
NUPRC approves 740 drilling operations as rig count hits 100
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has approved 740 drilling and re-entry operations in the first ten months of 2026.
Key points
- NUPRC granted 595 well re-entry and 145 new drilling approvals between January and October.
- Total rig count reached 100, though only 46 rigs were active during the presentation.
- The regulatory body also approved 39 field development plans to support production targets.
What happened
According to BusinessDay, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) approved a total of 740 oil drilling operations during the first ten months of 2026. This comes alongside an increase in the national oil rig count to 100 units. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the chief executive of the NUPRC, revealed these figures in Lagos. She was represented at the event by Ahmad Abdullahi, the deputy director of basinal administration at the commission.
Out of the 740 total approvals granted from January to October, 595 were designated for well re-entries, while 145 covered new drilling operations. Furthermore, the regulatory authority signed off on 39 field development plans during the same timeframe. Officials stated that these administrative steps are intended to accelerate upstream investment, curtail project delays, and align with national hydrocarbon output goals.
Regulatory adjustments
The commission reported that streamlining its approval timelines helps mitigate expenses incurred by operators awaiting clearance. Officials emphasised that maintaining steady oversight is vital to safeguard energy availability and ensure production targets are met. Meanwhile, Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum, noted that active oil rigs have quadrupled since 2023, accompanying a rise in crude production to 1.8 million barrels per day. He stated that current exploration forms the foundation for long-term production sustainability.
Why it matters
Upstream activity expansion remains a critical driver for the Nigerian economy, given that fuel exports accounted for 85.9 percent of merchandise exports in 2025, according to World Bank figures. With Brent spot prices trading at 107.03 US dollars per barrel as of November 2026, according to US Energy Information Administration data, increased drilling approvals could help operators capitalise on favourable market conditions. However, investors and policymakers continue to monitor whether these upstream developments will translate into broader domestic energy security, particularly in a country where electricity use stood at 140.6 kilowatt-hours per person in 2024.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Crude benchmarks move budgets, currencies and inflation in producer and importer countries alike. For economies such as Nigeria, where fuels dominate exports, production and refining decisions move the whole economy.
85.9% of Nigeria’s merchandise exports were fuels in 2025Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
