Nigeria exceeded its oil production quota set by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in June 2025, marking the second time this year the country has outpaced its assigned limit.
According to new data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), average daily crude output rose to 1,505,474 barrels—just over 100 per cent of the 1.5 million barrels per day quota allocated by OPEC. When condensates are included, total daily production stood at 1.7 million barrels, a notable increase from May’s 1.65 million and March’s 1.60 million barrels per day.
“The average crude oil production was 100.4 per cent of the OPEC quota,” the NUPRC noted, adding that combined crude and condensate production peaked at 1.82 million barrels on the highest-performing day in June, with a low of 1.61 million.
Despite the milestone, Nigeria’s output remains well below the 2.06 million barrels per day target set in the 2025 national budget.
Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), expressed cautious optimism about the upward trend, saying output is projected to reach 1.9 million barrels per day by December.
“We’ve started growing again,” Ojulari said. “In March, we were producing about 1.56 million barrels per day, and we’re now at 1.63 million, including condensates. By the end of the year, we hope to clock 1.9 million daily.”
A critical factor behind the improved figures is the restoration of key pipeline infrastructure. Ojulari confirmed that, for the first time in years, Nigeria recorded 100 per cent availability across major crude oil pipelines throughout June. This development, he said, was driven by “industry-wide security interventions” led by the NNPC and has helped unlock production potential previously hampered by sabotage and theft.
Still, the NNPC boss warned that sustaining gains will require continued investment and reforms. “We’ve met our cash-call obligations to joint venture partners, and we’ve turned the narrative around. But we need further investments to maintain and boost production,” he added.
Industry analysts have welcomed the improvement but caution that Nigeria still faces structural constraints, from ageing infrastructure to fluctuating investment confidence. With global oil dynamics shifting and energy transitions accelerating, the challenge remains not only to hit production targets, but also to ensure long-term resilience in a volatile market.
The June figures will be seen by government officials as a vindication of recent interventions in the oil and gas sector. But as ever in Nigeria’s oil story, the road ahead remains as complex as it is crucial.
