According to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria has solidified its status as Africa’s leading crude oil producer, even as production experienced a slight dip in May.
In its latest monthly report, OPEC revealed that Nigeria’s oil output fell to 1.45 million barrels per day (bpd) from 1.48 million bpd the previous month. Despite this reduction, Nigeria outperformed Libya, Algeria, and Congo, maintaining its dominant position on the continent.
The figures reported by OPEC are based on direct communications. In comparison, Libya produced 1.36 million bpd, Algeria 920,000 bpd, and Congo 268,000 bpd in May.
OPEC also noted that data from secondary sources suggested an increase in Nigeria’s production to 1.54 million bpd in May, up from 1.52 million bpd in April.
The report highlighted that total crude oil production across the DoC averaged 41.23 million bpd in May 2025, which is 180,000 bpd higher than the previous month.
On June 13, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced the implementation of a ‘drill or drop’ policy, mandating operators to either commence production within a specified timeframe or forfeit their licences.
On the same day, the NUPRC reported a decrease in Nigeria’s oil production to 1,452,941 bpd in May, which represents 97 percent of the 1.5 million bpd quota set by OPEC.
