Nigeria hits 1.68mbpd, sustains OPEC quota for four months

File: Crude oil illustration

Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production rose to 1,677,777 barrels per day in August 2026, representing a 0.4 per cent increase from the 1.67 million barrels per day recorded in July.

The increase, though modest, marked another month of improved oil production as the country sustained compliance with its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries crude oil quota.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Head, Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu.

The regulator stated that crude oil production, excluding condensates, stood at 1,500,190 barrels per day in August.

It said the country met its OPEC quota for the fourth consecutive month, reflecting continued efforts by operators to restore affected production capacity and address operational bottlenecks.

The latest increase followed the resolution of operational challenges involving the Single Buoy Mooring at the Erha field, which had affected production performance in the preceding month.

The NUPRC said the restoration of normal evacuation and production operations at the asset contributed positively to the overall output recorded during the month.

The statement read, “The NUPRC attributed the modest improvement in August production largely to the resolution of the Single Buoy Mooring operational challenges at the Erha field, which had adversely impacted production performance in the preceding month.

“The restoration of normal evacuation and production operations at the asset contributed positively to overall production volumes during the period under review.”

The regulator added that production activities across most other producing assets remained relatively stable, with operators sustaining measures aimed at improving efficiency, maintaining asset integrity and reducing operational disruptions.

According to the commission, the lowest daily crude oil and condensate production recorded in August was 1.64 million barrels per day, while the highest stood at 1.71 million barrels per day.

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A breakdown of production by terminals and streams showed that Bonny Terminal recorded the highest average output during the month, accounting for 320.04 thousand barrels per day.

Forcados Terminal followed with 317.40 thousand barrels per day, while Qua Iboe Terminal recorded an average of 171.72 thousand barrels per day of crude oil and condensates.

Escravos Oil Terminal posted a daily average of 131.71 thousand barrels per day, while Bonga ranked fifth among the leading producing terminals with an average of 92.50 thousand barrels per day of crude oil.

The August output represented an increase of 6,777 barrels per day from July’s 1,671,000 barrels per day, based on the rounded July figure. It was also 57,621 barrels per day lower than the 1,735,398 barrels per day recorded in June.

The June figure represented a decline of about 3.3 per cent in August when compared with the latest available June production data.

The NUPRC said the August performance reflected the industry’s continued efforts to resolve operational constraints and restore affected production capacity.

It stated, “While the increase recorded in August was modest, it reflects the industry’s continued efforts to address operational bottlenecks and restore affected production capacity.

“Stakeholders remain focused on enhancing asset reliability, improving operational resilience and advancing intervention programs to support sustained production growth in the coming months.”

The regulator further emphasised the importance of timely intervention, effective asset management and collaboration among industry stakeholders in safeguarding Nigeria’s crude oil production capacity.

Nigeria’s oil production has remained a major focus of government efforts to increase revenue, improve foreign exchange earnings and strengthen the country’s ability to meet its OPEC production quota.