Nigeria’s crude oil output rises to 1.66 million bpd in April

Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production rose to an average of 1.66 million barrels per day (bpd) in April 2026, bringing the country close to its production target under the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota.

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The figures were disclosed in the latest provisional data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

“Daily average production was 1,663,413 barrels per day, comprising both Crude oil (1,488,540 bopd) and condensate (174,873 bopd),” the report noted.

It said the average crude oil production represents 99 per cent of OPEC quota (1.5 mbpd), showing the country is steadily closing the gap after months of underperformance.

The data showed that total liquid production — comprising crude oil, blended condensate, and unblended condensate — increased to 49.90 million barrels in April, translating to a daily average of 1,663,413 barrels per day, compared to 1,546,093 bpd recorded in March.

This represents a month-on-month increase of about 7.6 per cent. Of the total April production, crude oil accounted for 44.69 million barrels or 1,488,540 bpd, while condensates contributed 5.25 million barrels, comprising blended condensate of 1.56 million barrels and unblended condensate of 3.69 million barrels.

It added that the lowest and highest combined crude oil and condensate production levels during the month were 1.46 million bpd and 1.85 million bpd respectively.

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Bonny, Forcados lead production surge

A breakdown of output by terminal showed that Bonny remained Nigeria’s highest-producing crude stream in April, posting a blend total of 8.85 million barrels, up from 8.42 million barrels in March.

Bonny’s crude oil production alone rose from 7.99 million barrels in March to 8.36 million barrels in April, while condensate increased to 492,779 barrels from 427,035 barrels.

Forcados recorded one of the strongest recoveries during the month, with total blend production rising sharply to 7.35 million barrels in April from 5.18 million barrels in March.

Its crude oil production jumped to 6.65 million barrels from 4.73 million barrels, while condensate output also rose significantly to 700,249 barrels.

Qua Iboe posted total production of 4.97 million barrels in April, slightly lower than the 5.25 million barrels recorded in March, while Escravos declined to 4.13 million barrels from 4.47 million barrels.

Brass terminal also saw a drop, with total blend production falling to 1.25 million barrels from 1.38 million barrels.

Offshore fields support output

Among offshore assets, Bonga recorded a strong performance with 3.06 million barrels in April, up from 2.85 million barrels in March.

Erha also improved to 2.05 million barrels, while Egina produced 1.47 million barrels and Usan contributed 928,616 barrels.

Utapate delivered 1.78 million barrels, while Nembe posted 1.19 million barrels during the month.

The data also showed stable contributions from Ugo Ocha (Jones Creek), Sea Eagle, Anyala Madu, Pennington, Abo and other smaller streams, reinforcing broader supply stability across the sector.

Nigeria’s unblended condensate production stood at 3.69 million barrels in April, equivalent to 122,840 bpd, while blended condensate reached 1.56 million barrels or 52,032 bpd.

Among condensate streams, the data published by the commission showed that Agbami remained the largest producer with 2.01 million barrels in April, followed by Akpo with 1.34 million barrels and Tulja-Okwuibome with 304,827 barrels.

This sustained condensate production continues to support Nigeria’s overall liquids output and helps improve revenue inflows, especially at a time of elevated global crude prices.

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Revenue implications

The improved production comes amid strong international crude prices, increasing the prospect of stronger oil earnings for the federal government and improved foreign exchange inflows.

With Brent crude trading above $120 per barrel during parts of April, Nigeria’s stronger output could significantly improve fiscal performance, especially as the government seeks to fund its 2026 budget and reduce pressure on external reserves.

The increase also strengthens Nigeria’s standing within OPEC, where the country has struggled in recent years to meet assigned production levels due to oil theft, pipeline vandalism, underinvestment and operational shutdowns.

Despite the improvement, analysts warn that sustaining higher output will depend on continued pipeline security, stable operations at key terminals, and faster investment in upstream infrastructure.

They note that while the April performance is encouraging, consistency remains critical if Nigeria is to maintain production near quota levels and fully benefit from higher global oil prices.

The NUPRC described the figures as provisional, indicating that final reconciled numbers may be subject to slight adjustments.