By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says reforms in the oil and gas sector have increased Nigeria’s crude oil production by 600,000 barrels per day, from about 1.2 million to 1.8 million barrels per day.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at an Energy Talk session titled, “Nigeria’s Reform Agenda: Competing for Energy Capital,” at the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in the United Arab Emirates.
Ojulari attributed the production increase to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, improved investment conditions, better investment decisions and stronger collaboration between NNPC and its industry partners.
He said the company was targeting crude oil production of two million barrels per day by 2027, adding that efforts were focused on maintaining existing infrastructure, protecting current production levels, increasing output from producing assets and executing new projects.
According to him, the current production level of 1.8 million barrels per day represents progress towards the country’s broader production ambitions.
“The figure of 1.8 million barrels per day is a stage in a journey towards our objective. We are concentrating on the basics, which are maintaining our infrastructure, protecting base operations and executing the projects that will take production higher,” he said.
On domestic energy development, the NNPC chief said the removal of petrol subsidy had been accompanied by a major compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, with more than 400 conversion centres established across the country.
He added that over 1,000 trucks involved in the transportation of petroleum products had also been converted to run on CNG.
Ojulari further disclosed that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline was completed in August 2026, while the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline was expected to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of the year.
He said the gas supply would support electricity generation, data centres and industrial activities.
The GCEO said the company’s board and management were committed to delivering on the mandate given to NNPC by President Bola Tinubu, adding that a comprehensive assessment of its assets and infrastructure had provided management with a clearer understanding of areas requiring improvement.
“Our track record will be judged by what is done and not by what is said,” he stated.
On regional gas development, Ojulari said all countries involved in the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project had aligned and executed the necessary agreements.
He also disclosed that Nigeria, Algeria and Niger had reached an understanding on the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.
According to him, NNPC is targeting national gas production of 10 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2027 and 12 Bcf/d by 2030, with increased domestic consumption and export markets expected to support the targets.
On attracting international investments, Ojulari highlighted major projects, including TotalEnergies’ Ubeta, Shell’s Bonga South-West and Eni’s Zabazaba developments.
He said commercial agreements covering approximately $20 billion in investments had been concluded, reflecting growing international interest in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The NNPC boss also disclosed that the company was developing new partnerships with international investors, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Chinese investors in Nigeria’s refineries.
He said NNPC was equally collaborating with global oilfield service companies to expand local service capacity and strengthen operations.
Ojulari reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency and operational excellence, citing its two consecutive earnings calls as part of efforts to improve corporate accountability.
The 2026 ADIPEC, hosted by ADNOC under the patronage of UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, attracted more than 239,000 participants from over 170 countries.
The gathering brought together government officials, energy industry executives, investors and technology leaders to deliberate on energy security, investment opportunities and global energy supply.
