By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has unveiled plans to restore more than 788,000 barrels per day of shut-in oil production, following the successful re-entry of 77 wells between January and September 2026.
The Commission also disclosed that 128 wells had been approved for drilling within the same period as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s crude oil production and achieve its ambitious production targets by 2030.
The Commission Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this at the national conference of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) in Lagos on Saturday.
Eyesan, who was represented at the conference by the Assistant Director, Corporate Services and Administration, Mrs Patricia Temisan-Olatunde, said the commission was accelerating approval processes alongside its licensing rounds to increase production in the near term.
According to her, restoring shut-in production remains a key priority, with more than 788,000 barrels per day identified across 63 operators as potential output to be recovered.
She also highlighted the need to advance offshore projects estimated to be worth between $30 billion and $50 billion to final investment decision, while improving domestic gas delivery from approximately two-thirds of the required obligation to full compliance.
The commission said the measures formed part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, attract investment and increase oil and gas output.
It added that the Federal Government’s executive orders targeting deep offshore investments were expected to complement the commission’s regulatory and production-enhancement initiatives.
The NUPRC said the combined measures were positioning Nigeria to pursue its ambitious production goals by 2030, including the broader target of raising crude oil production to three million barrels per day.
The latest disclosure underscores the commission’s focus on recovering idle production capacity, expediting drilling activities and unlocking investment in major offshore developments as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its position in the global energy market.
