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Background
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has just announced that the 2025 Oil Licensing Round will officially commence on 1 December 2025. The announcement was made by the NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, at the Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum in London on 11th November 2025.
The 2025 Licensing Round
According to the NUPRC, the 2025 licensing round will focus on discovered but undeveloped and fallow fields, with emphasis on natural gas opportunities in alignment with national energy transition priorities Nigeria's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The NUPRC aims to accelerate upstream production with discovered but unexploited fields, thereby supporting the government's target of increasing production capacity by one million barrels of oil per day (1MMBOPD).
Next Steps
The NUPRC has reiterated its commitment to a fair, transparent, and competitive licensing process, in strict adherence to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. The NUPRC has promised that the 2025 licensing round will feature improved regulatory clarity and investor-friendly terms. We expect the NUPRC to publish comprehensive guidelines and schedules for the 2025 licensing round well before the 1st December commencement date so potential bidders can have information on the available blocks, pre-qualification requirements, application procedures, and submission timelines. Prospective bidders are encouraged to monitor the NUPRC's official website for further announcements.
Sectoral Context and Recent Developments
Licensing rounds remain a cornerstone of Nigeria's oil and gas investment strategy as well as targeted exercises for harnessing and commercializing marginal fields and deepwater blocks. Recently released NUPRC data indicates a marked increase in upstream operational activity, with rig count rising from 8 in 2021 to 69 as of October 2025. The NUPRC's renewed focus on investor-friendly engagements and agreements is noteworthy.
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