Nigeria can raise oil output to 1.9m bpd — NUPRC

n n

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

n

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has expressed confidence that Nigeria can increase crude oil production to 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd), following recent gains that pushed output to a peak of 1.86 million bpd in May.

n

The Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, at the NRS headquarters in Abuja.

n

In a statement, Eyesan said the country’s oil sector has returned to a growth path, noting that production is steadily improving despite existing challenges.

n

“We are back to production. We are ramping up now, and we want to continue working,” she said.

n

She said addressing infrastructure gaps and improving asset integrity across the sector would be critical to sustaining output growth.

n

“We still recognise the constraints. Infrastructure and asset integrity are major constraints, but we will work on these,” she added.

n

Eyesan also noted that human capacity development in the sector remains important for sustaining production expansion.

n

The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between NUPRC and the Nigeria Revenue Service to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in revenue collection from the oil and gas industry.

n

She commended reforms at the revenue agency, noting that the transition under the new framework had been smooth.

n

Eyesan said the commission remains focused on creating an enabling environment for investors and operators in the petroleum sector.

n

“We are here to enable their businesses, ensure that they survive, and that they succeed. And we want to grow the pie because when you grow the pie, everybody benefits,” she said.

n

She also disclosed that digitisation of NUPRC operations has been largely achieved as part of its reform agenda.

n

Responding, NRS Chairman Dr. Zacch Adedeji pledged continued collaboration with the commission to boost revenue generation and strengthen transparency in the petroleum sector.

n

“It is in the interest of Nigeria that we work together to grow revenue for the country in a transparent manner,” he said.

n

He added that the NRS would continue supporting royalty collection and other revenue processes in the upstream petroleum industry.

n n