Nigeria will demand a higher oil production quota at the next meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in November, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri has said.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during a review of Nigeria’s upstream performance since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Lokpobiri said the country’s current OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day no longer reflects its actual production strength.
“The OPEC quota is subject to periodic review,” he told the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s media team. “By November, we will make a strong case for Nigeria’s quota to be reviewed to two million barrels per day or more.”
The minister said Nigeria’s improved output, strengthened infrastructure, and fresh investments in the oil sector justified a push for an upward review. “Today, we’re producing around 1.7 million barrels daily, including condensates, and we have capacity to produce above two million,” he said.
Lokpobiri noted that condensates — lighter, higher-value crude not covered by OPEC limits — give Nigeria additional flexibility. “Condensate is not counted in OPEC production, yet it sells at a higher price,” he said. “If we do 1.5 million barrels of crude and one million barrels of condensate, we’re still within the rules.”
He added that verifiable production data, domestic crude supply obligations under the PIA, and evidence of renewed capacity would form the basis of Nigeria’s case at the upcoming OPEC meeting.
The minister attributed the country’s production rebound to improved security and better pipeline integrity in the Niger Delta. “Before now, companies were scared to produce because crude pumped into pipelines hardly got to the terminal,” he said. “Today, if you put in crude, you get 100 per cent at the export point.”
According to him, Nigeria’s rig count — a key measure of upstream activity — has surged from about 14 to nearly 50, with expectations for further growth by year-end.
Lokpobiri also praised the rise of indigenous oil producers, citing Renaissance and Seplat as examples of firms that have expanded production following recent divestments by majors such as Shell, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil. “Our indigenous producers are doing excellently,” he said.
He credited the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and its chief executive, Gbenga Komolafe, with restoring investor confidence through consistent implementation of the PIA. “The PIA brought stability to the regulatory framework. NUPRC has become a reference point for other countries,” he said.
Lokpobiri also pointed to the creation of the African Petroleum Regulatory Forum, coordinated by the NUPRC, as a sign of Nigeria’s growing regional influence. The forum, he said, aims to “unify Africa’s voice in global energy policy and advocate equitable investment and energy access.”
On Nigeria’s production costs, the minister acknowledged they remained higher than the global average but said executive orders from President Bola Tinubu had helped make operations more competitive. “Saudi Arabia produces at about $8 per barrel, the global average is $12, but ours is way above that,” he said. “We’re taking steps to bring it down.”
He expressed optimism that Nigeria’s goal of achieving 2.06 million barrels per day by 2025 was within reach, supported by new infrastructure, policy stability, and ongoing investments.
Turning to Africa’s broader energy future, Lokpobiri insisted that oil and gas would continue to play a dominant role in the global mix and argued that the continent must define its own path in the energy transition.
“Africa contributes less than three per cent of global emissions. We cannot industrialise without reliable power,” he said. “Energy transition means different things to different regions. For us, it starts with energy access.”
He criticised Western pressure on African countries to abandon hydrocarbons, calling it hypocritical. “The US produces over 20 million barrels a day,” he said. “So why should we stop?”
