Nigeria’s crude oil hit 1.489m bpd, highest in 4 months

Nigeria’s crude oil production rose to 1.489 million barrels per day (bpd) in April 2026, the highest level recorded in four months, as the country edged closer to meeting its production quota approved by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Latest data released by OPEC showed that the country produced an average of 1,488,540 bpd of crude oil in April, representing about 99.2 percent of Nigeria’s 1.5 million bpd OPEC quota.

The latest output marks Nigeria’s strongest crude oil performance since December 2025 and reflects a gradual recovery from earlier production declines caused by pipeline vandalism, crude theft, ageing infrastructure and underinvestment in upstream assets.

However, despite the rebound, the country still failed to fully meet its OPEC allocation for the ninth consecutive month since July 2025, highlighting persistent structural challenges in Africa’s largest oil-producing economy.

The improved production figures come amid intensified efforts by the Federal Government and oil operators to secure critical oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta and ramp up upstream investments.

Nigeria’s crude production had fallen sharply in recent months. Official data showed output stood at 1.31 million bpd in February before rising to about 1.38 million bpd in March.

Industry analysts said the latest recovery suggests that recent security interventions around major pipelines and export terminals may be beginning to yield results, although the gains remain fragile.

Read also: Nigeria’s 1.49m bpd output contradicts FG’s 1.84m bpd claim

The country has struggled for years to sustain oil production due largely to widespread crude theft, sabotage of pipelines, delayed upstream investments and operational disruptions across key onshore and shallow water assets.

Nigeria, which depends heavily on crude oil exports for foreign exchange earnings and government revenues, had set a more ambitious oil production benchmark of 1.84 million bpd in the 2026 budget.

However, the latest NUPRC figures indicate that actual production remains significantly below that fiscal assumption.

The output recovery also comes at a time when global oil markets remain volatile. A recent Reuters survey showed that overall OPEC oil production declined in April following export disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts said Nigeria could benefit from tighter global supply conditions if it succeeds in sustaining higher crude output and improving export reliability.

The rebound in production is also expected to support domestic refining activity, especially as the Dangote Group refinery ramps up operations and increases demand for locally sourced crude oil.