The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has pushed back against recent criticisms of its leadership under Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, particularly over the recently concluded oil licensing round, insisting that the company’s production performance has continued to improve under the current management.
NNPC Ltd., in a statement issued in response to recent media comments attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), said the criticism appeared to have conflated the commercial responsibilities of the national oil company with the regulatory functions of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The company stressed that the conduct of oil licensing rounds and allocation of oil blocks are regulatory functions vested in NUPRC under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to NNPC, the company has, since its incorporation under the PIA, operated as a commercial entity and does not possess regulatory or allocative authority over oil blocks.
The clarification comes amid growing industry attention on the performance of NNPC Ltd. following the conclusion of the latest upstream licensing process and renewed calls for greater transparency and efficiency in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Production growth strengthens NNPC’s defence
Beyond the licensing controversy, NNPC Ltd. pointed to rising crude oil and gas production as evidence of progress under Ojulari’s leadership.
The company said average crude oil production, including condensates, increased from 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) in April 2025 to 1.67 mbpd in April 2026.
The increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represents approximately six per cent growth over the period.
NNPC said the improvement reflected a sustained recovery in national production through the second half of 2025, followed by relative stabilisation at the higher production level in 2026.
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The company maintained that the figures are contained in its publicly available Monthly Performance Reports and therefore provide a verifiable basis for assessing its operational performance.
The production increase is significant for Nigeria, which has been working to reverse years of declining crude output caused by issues ranging from crude theft and pipeline vandalism to ageing infrastructure, underinvestment and operational disruptions.
Higher production is also critical to the Federal Government’s revenue position and the ability of the country to meet crude supply commitments to domestic refineries.
Gas output also records positive movement
NNPC Ltd. said the improvement was not limited to crude oil.
Its average gas production increased from 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd in April 2026, representing approximately five per cent growth.
The company said the increase reinforces its contribution to Nigeria’s domestic energy security while supporting the country’s gas export commitments.
The rise in gas production is particularly important as Nigeria intensifies efforts to deepen gas utilisation for power generation, industrial development, compressed and liquefied gas markets and other domestic applications.
The Federal Government has increasingly positioned natural gas as a transition fuel and a major pillar of Nigeria’s industrialisation strategy, making sustained growth in domestic gas production and delivery a key industry performance indicator.
Licensing responsibility rests with NUPRC
On the licensing round, NNPC Ltd. made a clear distinction between its role as a commercial participant in the petroleum industry and the regulatory responsibilities of NUPRC.
The company stated that under the PIA 2021, NUPRC is responsible for conducting licensing rounds and allocating petroleum assets, while NNPC Ltd. operates commercially within the framework established by the law.
The clarification effectively rejects any suggestion that the NNPC management should be held responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of oil blocks in the licensing round.
NNPC warns against unsubstantiated claims
While acknowledging the importance of industry scrutiny, NNPC Ltd. said public commentary on its performance should be based on verifiable facts.
The company said it welcomes scrutiny of its operations, describing transparency and accountability as important components of its transformation into a commercially driven and globally competitive energy company.
However, it warned that it reserves the right to take necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of its leadership against what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
NNPC urged industry commentators, analysts and professional associations to verify information through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before making public claims.
The company said factual and balanced commentary would contribute more meaningfully to public understanding of developments within Nigeria’s energy sector.
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