Nigeria's Oil Production Hits New High, Exceeds OPEC Quota

Nigeria’s crude oil production went beyond its OPEC quota in May. It reached its highest level in 15 months. This development reinforces Nigeria’s status as Africa’s top oil producer.

Data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that the country produced an average of 1.53 million barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) in May.

When you add in condensate production of 170,446 bpd, Nigeria’s total hydrocarbon output averaged 1.7 million bpd.
“Nigeria’s oil production witnessed an upswing in May 2026, averaging 1,530,354 barrels of crude oil and 170,446 barrels of condensates per day. This brings the total combined production to 1,700,800 barrels per day and strengthens Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest oil producer,” NUPRC said in a statement on Thursday.

This number is 102 percent of Nigeria’s OPEC production quota of 1.5 million bpd, according to the regulator.
This latest performance is a big deal for the country’s oil sector. Total production has not been this high since last July when it reached 1.71 million bpd, including both crude oil and condensates.

Without condensates, the 1.53 million bpd figure for May is Nigeria’s best performance since January 2025. That month, output hit 1.538 million bpd.
The May figure also marks a 15-month high for crude oil production, excluding condensates.

While Nigeria’s oil production is growing, oil-rich communities in the Niger Delta are facing serious oil and gas pollution issues. This is happening even as exploration targets are renewed.
Efforts to clean up the pollution in the region have been very slow. This raises concerns about the government’s lack of focus on the welfare of the people living there.

Crude oil production, excluding condensates, increased by 2.8 percent in May compared to 1.48 million bpd in April.
The trend has been positive for the last five months. Total production rose from 1.48 million bpd in February to 1.54 million bpd in March, then to 1.66 million bpd in April, and finally to 1.7 million bpd in May.

This steady rise shows improvements in how operations are being managed in the upstream sector. This is happening even with ongoing challenges in the global oil market.

Among Nigeria’s major production areas, the Bonny Terminal had the highest output at 293,870 bpd.
Forcados Terminal was next with 289,900 bpd, while Qua Iboe produced 173,360 bpd.
Escravos Oil Terminal contributed 135,470 bpd, and Odudu (Amenam Blend) rounded out the top five with 63,250 bpd.

The NUPRC credited the improved production to stable operations across the industry. They noted that there were no major pipeline disruptions or facility shutdowns during this time.

The commission also mentioned that all planned maintenance work was completed successfully. This has helped improve reliability and production efficiency.

These new figures could boost government income. They also strengthen confidence in ongoing efforts to increase Nigeria’s oil production capacity. This capacity has been affected in recent years by crude theft, pipeline vandalism, and other operational issues.

With production now above the OPEC quota, the focus will shift to whether Nigeria can keep this momentum going in the months ahead.