AWC ENERGY DESK, AUGUST 2026
Nigeria’s crude oil production declined by about 4 per cent month-on-month in July 2026, ending a steady six-month rise in combined crude oil and condensate output, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The regulator reported that Nigeria produced an average of 1.505 million barrels of crude oil per day in July, slightly above the country’s 1.5 million barrels-per-day OPEC quota.
With condensate production of approximately 170,000 barrels per day added, Nigeria’s combined crude oil and condensate output stood at about 1.67 million barrels per day.
The July figure was down from the 1.735 million barrels per day recorded in June, representing a reduction of about 65,000 barrels per day, or roughly 3.75 per cent.
The decline also marked the first monthly setback following a steady increase in combined production from the beginning of the year. Output rose from about 1.459 million barrels per day in January to 1.483 million in February, 1.564 million in March, 1.663 million in April, 1.701 million in May and 1.735 million in June before falling in July.
NUPRC attributed the July decline principally to operational challenges at the Erha and Akpo oil fields, which constrained production volumes during the month.
Despite the disruptions, the regulator said production operations across most other producing assets remained relatively stable, while operators continued efforts to sustain efficiency and minimise the impact of the affected facilities.
Nigeria’s July performance nevertheless maintained the country’s recent improvement against its OPEC commitment. July marked the third consecutive month in which Nigeria met or exceeded its 1.5 million barrels-per-day crude production quota.
The distinction between crude and condensate is important: while combined output stood at 1.67 million barrels per day, it was the 1.505 million barrels per day of crude oil that was measured against the OPEC quota.
NUPRC said industry stakeholders are working to resolve the operational challenges, restore affected production capacity and strengthen the reliability of Nigeria’s upstream assets.
For an economy heavily dependent on oil for government revenue and foreign exchange earnings, the July figures underline the importance of maintaining production stability while addressing operational bottlenecks across the sector.
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