Domestic Refineries Receive Over 127 Million Barrels of Nigerian Crude in Nine Months – NUPRC
Domestic Refineries Receive Over 127 Million Barrels of Nigerian Crude in Nine Months – NUPRC
Domestic Refineries Receive Over 127 Million Barrels of Nigerian Crude in Nine Months – NUPRC
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed that domestic refineries received more than 127 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil and condensate between January and September 2026, following improvements in the implementation of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO).
The Commission Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Monday, October 26, 2026, in a speech delivered at the OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week 2026 in Lagos. She was represented by the Assistant Director, Operations, Mr Prosper Omonedo.
Speaking on the theme, “Secure Energy, Shared Prosperity,” Eyesan said the Commission intervened to improve crude oil deliveries after commercial disagreements between producers and refiners affected supplies in the first quarter of the year.
She said 53.7 million barrels of crude oil and condensate were supplied to domestic refineries in the second quarter, representing 97.4 per cent performance, while 45.1 million barrels were supplied in the third quarter, representing 76.2 per cent performance.
“From Q1–Q3 of 2026, more than 127 million barrels of Nigerian crude went to Nigerian refineries,” she said.
Under Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the NUPRC allocates crude oil to domestic refineries before export.
The Commission is also consulting producers, refiners and other stakeholders on a domestic crude swap framework aimed at reducing transportation costs.
According to Eyesan, the proposed framework would allow a refinery to receive crude from the nearest suitable production or export point instead of transporting an allocated grade over long distances.
She said the arrangement could reduce costs by an estimated $3 to $4 per barrel.
On oil production, Eyesan disclosed that Nigeria recorded an average of 1.717 million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate in September, representing a 2.34 per cent increase over August.
Crude oil production alone averaged 1.53 million barrels per day, marking the fifth consecutive month the industry met or exceeded its production quota.
She attributed the improvement to better asset integrity, enhanced security of evacuation infrastructure, stronger collaboration with operators and sustained regulatory efforts to restore shut-in production.
On the 2026 Licensing Round, the NUPRC chief executive said the 40 blocks on offer would undergo a transparent evaluation process based on published criteria, with mandatory disclosure of beneficial ownership.
She added that the Commission was enforcing the drill-or-drop principle to discourage speculative holding of licences.
According to her, 22 recent awardees were expected to contribute at least 250,000 barrels per day to national production within five years.
Eyesan reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to meeting the Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation and working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to align refinery demand with crude supply planning.
She said the collaboration would help ensure that gains in the upstream petroleum sector translate into tangible benefits for households, industries and power generation.
Domestic Refineries Receive Over 127 Million Barrels of Nigerian Crude in Nine Months – NUPRC
