The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) says reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have increased crude oil production by 600,000 barrels per day, from about 1.2 million to 1.8 million barrels per day.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, following remarks by the Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, at the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Speaking during an Energy Talk titled, “Nigeria’s Reform Agenda: Competing for Energy Capital,” Ojulari attributed the production increase to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, an improved investment climate, better investment decisions and stronger collaboration between NNPC and its partners.
He said the company was working towards achieving crude oil production of two million barrels per day by 2027 through improved infrastructure maintenance, protection of existing production capacity, increased output from producing assets and the execution of new projects.
“The figure of 1.8 million barrels per day is a stage in a journey towards our objective. We are concentrating on the basics, which are maintaining our infrastructure, protecting base operations and executing the projects that will take production higher,” Ojulari stated.
On domestic energy supply, the NNPC chief said the removal of petrol subsidy had been accompanied by a major compressed natural gas (CNG) programme, with more than 400 conversion centres established across the country.
He added that over 1,000 trucks involved in the transportation of petroleum products were now operating on CNG.
According to him, the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline was completed in August 2026, while the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline is expected to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of the year to support power generation, data centres and industrial hubs.
Ojulari said the company’s board and management were committed to meeting the projections outlined in the mandate given to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He explained that a baseline assessment of the company’s asset base and infrastructure had provided management with a clearer understanding of its operational strengths and areas requiring improvement.
“Our track record will be judged by what is done and not by what is said,” he stated.
On regional gas development, Ojulari disclosed that countries participating in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project had aligned and executed the necessary agreements.
He also said Nigeria, Algeria and Niger had aligned on the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.
The NNPC GCEO further revealed that the company was targeting national gas production of 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030, supported by the expansion of domestic and international markets for Nigerian gas.
On attracting foreign investment, he cited major projects, including TotalEnergies’ Ubeta, Shell’s Bonga South-West and Eni’s Zabazaba developments, noting that commercial agreements covering approximately $20 billion in investments had been concluded.
He added that NNPC was building new partnerships with international investors, including ADNOC and Chinese investors in Nigeria’s refineries, while engaging global service companies to expand operational capacity in the country.
Ojulari reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency and execution excellence, citing two consecutive earnings calls held by NNPC Limited as part of efforts to strengthen accountability.
The 2026 ADIPEC, held under the patronage of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and hosted by ADNOC, attracted more than 239,000 participants from over 170 countries.
The conference brought together ministers, energy executives, investors and technology leaders to deliberate on energy security, investment and global energy supply.
