After a keenly contested bidding process, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced the winners of the 2025 Licensing Round.The Commission disclosed that 31 companies emerged successful bidders for 37 oil and gas blocks during the commercial bid conference held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on July 21, 2026.
A total of 143 companies submitted 200 bids for 37 of the 50 oil and gas blocks initially offered by the Commission.
The blocks span several geological terrains, including the Niger Delta Onshore (16), Niger Delta Shallow Water (18), Niger Delta Deep Offshore (1), Benin Basin Onshore (3), Anambra Basin Onshore (4), Chad Basin Onshore (4), and Benue Trough (4).Of the 50 blocks on offer, 37 attracted bids, while 13 received no submissions.
The blocks that received bids cut across all terrains, including frontier basins such as the Benue Trough, Chad Basin, Anambra Basin, and Benin Basin.
According to the Commission, this marks the first time in Nigeria’s petroleum industry history that frontier basins have attracted such significant investor interest.
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The successful companies include SSonic Petroleum Limited (PPL 2A29), CFP Pipeline and Flowlines (2A30), Dutchford E&P Limited (2A32), Attabanson Global Company Limited (2A33 and PPL 901), Rosem Energy Limited (2A38), Pivot-GIS Limited (2A39), Network E&P (2A40), Asharami (2A41), LexOil (2A42), BVOF (2A43), Gupsco Energy Limited (2A44 and 2A51), Saratoga (2A45), Volante (2A46), Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited (2A47 and 2A55), Clinton Oil Field (2A48 and 2A62), and Nuway Oaklane Limited (2A49).
Others are Ramec (2A50), Italia (2A53), Blueridge E&P (2A54), Up Energies Limited (2A56), AYM Shafa (2A57), Blackrock Holdings Limited (2A58), Funtay Integrated Business Limited (2A59), Riparian Development and Production Limited (2A60), Nikstallis (2A61 and PPL 900), Stardeep Petroleum (PPL 2010), Dakoda & U Limited (PPL 308 and PPL 800), Southborne Oil and Gas Limited (PPL 902), Lanaka Petroleum (PPL 903), Highban Resources Limited (PPL 700), and Eyre Energy Limited (PPL 801).
NUPRC stated that the successful bidders would only receive their final awards upon payment of the applicable signature bonuses and the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
Speaking at the event, the Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support in ensuring a transparent and seamless licensing process.
She congratulated the successful bidders and urged them to promptly pay their signature bonuses and accelerate the development of their assets, warning that the Commission would strictly enforce the “drill or drop” provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.
The commercial bid conference was monitored by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with extant laws and reinforce transparency throughout the process.
