Nigeria produced an average of 1.53 million barrels per day of crude oil in September 2026, equalling 102% of its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels. Combined crude and condensate output averaged 1,717,030 barrels daily, a 2.34% rise from August, with a single-day peak of 1.84 million barrels and a low of 1.68 million.
According to data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Tuesday, the performance marked the fifth straight month of quota compliance. Strict crude averages stood at 1.53 million bpd in May, 1.55 million in June, 1.51 million in July, 1.50 million in August and 1.53 million in September.
The regulator attributed the September gains primarily to stable operations across most producing assets and the absence of major pipeline outages.
These conditions improved production uptime and crude evacuation efficiency. Forcados Terminal led average daily combined output at 320,320 barrels, followed by Bonny Terminal at 303,270 barrels.
Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s largest crude oil producer. The figures align with OPEC’s direct-communication data, though secondary sources placed September crude slightly higher at about 1.562 million bpd.
Earlier in October, NNPC Limited had reported combined production near 1.821 million barrels per day, reflecting methodological differences that exclude or include condensate differently against the OPEC crude-only quota.
The September result continues a broader recovery. Average crude output rose from roughly 1.345 million bpd in 2024 to 1.432 million in 2025, with third-quarter 2026 averaging about 1.512 million bpd.
NUPRC has identified more than 788,000 barrels per day of shut-in production across 63 operators for restoration, re-entered 77 wells and approved 128 for drilling between January and September, while advancing a 2026 licensing round offering 40 blocks.
Sustaining compliance supports export volumes and government revenue amid ongoing efforts to unlock idle capacity and attract offshore investment.
