Nigeria's daily crude oil production rose to 1.84 million barrels per day in March, up from 1.48 million barrels per day in February, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. The increase was confirmed by NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan during a meeting with Finance Minister Wale Edun in Abuja on Thursday. Eyesan attributed the earlier production dip to incidents affecting key facilities and scheduled maintenance, both of which have since been resolved. She said output is now steadily increasing and described the current level as a "remarkable feat."
Edun welcomed the progress, calling the 1.84 million barrels per day "fantastic news" and in line with President Bola Tinubu's mandate for higher production. He urged the NUPRC to push toward the 2 million barrels per day target, stressing the need for sustained growth without interruptions. Eyesan also updated the minister on the 2025 oil licensing round, now in its technical and financial evaluation phase. She noted that the "drill or drop" clause of the Petroleum Industry Act is helping activate dormant oil blocks, with some new acreages potentially producing within a year. The commission has also complied with Executive Order 9 of 2026, ending the 30 per cent deduction for the Frontier Exploration Fund and redirecting those funds to the federation account.
Hitting 1.84 million barrels per day is a notable rebound, but the real test lies in sustaining it amid years of inconsistent output. Wale Edun's public praise of NUPRC's Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan suggests political momentum, yet past surges have faltered within months. If this increase holds, federal revenue could see a meaningful boost without new taxes. But unless infrastructure and security challenges are fixed, 2 million barrels per day remains a slogan, not a plan.
