Nigeria’s domestic refineries have received over 127 million barrels of crude oil and condensate from January to September 2026 as the Federal Government doubles efforts to boost local refining and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
The figure was revealed by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) at the Africa Downstream Energy Week in Lagos, where the NUPRC Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said that crude supply to domestic refineries has improved following disruptions in the first quarter of the year.
Better collaboration between crude oil producers and refiners assisted better delivery, Eyesan added, but problems around supply arrangements and transportation costs remained concerns in the downstream petroleum sector.
She also announced that the country’s average crude oil production in September stood at 1.53 million barrels per day excluding condensates, marking the fifth consecutive month that the country fulfilled or exceeded its production quota of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Nigeria’s production in September stood at 102 per cent of the 1.5 million bpd OPEC quota, according to numbers issued earlier in October by the NUPRC. The commission said most of the continued performance was because of stable operations at its producing assets and the absence of severe pipeline disruptions.
The regulator is also working on a domestic crude oil swap regime to reduce shipping costs and increase feedstock availability for local refineries. The suggested arrangement would provide refiners access to crude at points of production or export closer to their facilities, helping them overcome logistical challenges and enhance the efficiency of supply.
The framework is part of a broader push to boost domestic refining by allowing oil produced in Nigeria to be delivered more effectively to local processing plants.
Eyesan also reiterated the commission’s commitment to openness in the 2026 oil and gas licensing round that is opening up 40 blocks in onshore, shallow-water and deepwater terrains to prospective investors.
The round of licensing is meant to draw investment, spur the development of petroleum assets and back attempts to raise Nigeria’s oil and gas output. NUPRC stated its review procedure would ensure more transparency including disclosure of beneficial ownership of bidders and more comprehensive reporting of outcomes.
The moves come as Nigeria aims to retain more value from its petroleum resources by increasing domestic refining and enhancing feedstock availability while promoting investment across the oil and gas value chain.
But industry players continue to insist that merely increasing oil output will not guarantee cheaper fuel. To ensure local refining produces real benefits for businesses and consumers, reliable supply arrangements, efficient transportation, competitive pricing and continuous investment will also be needed.
Latest numbers from the NUPRC show growth in crude output and domestic supply, but the proposed swap system may provide another option for overcoming logistical constraints facing Nigerians.
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