Nigeria’s upstream oil regulator has projected that the country could ramp up crude oil production to 1.9 million barrels per day (mbpd), as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and TotalEnergies strengthen efforts to cut methane emissions by deploying advanced technologies.
 
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said the target is achievable despite existing constraints, citing recent improvements in production levels and ongoing reforms in the sector.
 
Speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) in Abuja, the Commission’s Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed that Nigeria had already reached a peak production of 1.86mbpd in May, signalling a steady recovery in output.
 
“We are back to production. We are ramping up now, and we want to continue working. We still recognise the constraints, particularly infrastructure and asset integrity, but we will address them,” she said.
 
Eyesan added that human capacity development also remains critical to sustaining growth, noting that the industry must expand its workforce capabilities to meet rising operational demands.
 
She emphasised that the Commission is focused on creating an enabling environment for operators, stressing that increasing production would ultimately translate to higher revenues for the country.
 
The meeting also reinforced collaboration between NUPRC and the NRS to improve transparency and accountability in oil and gas revenue collection, following the transfer of certain revenue functions under the new NRS Act.
 
Meanwhile, NNPCL has renewed its partnership with TotalEnergies to extend the deployment of the Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications (AUSEA) technology for another 24 months.
 
The agreement, signed in Abuja by NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr Udy Ntia, and TotalEnergies Country Chair, Mr Matthieu Bouyer, aims to enhance methane detection, measurement, and reduction across upstream operations.
 
The renewed collaboration builds on an earlier agreement signed in 2023 and aligns with NNPC’s commitment to the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter, the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0, and its target of achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030.
 
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ntia said the initiative represents a significant step in strengthening NNPC’s decarbonisation strategy.
 
“Through the AUSEA initiative, we are improving our ability to detect, quantify and prioritise methane abatement opportunities using advanced measurement technology,” he said.
 
He also called for the institutionalisation of progress reporting and greater technology transfer to support long-term sustainability.