Nigeria's combined crude oil and condensate output averaged 1.68 million barrels per day (mbpd) throughout October 2026, reflecting ongoing difficulties in supplying sufficient domestic feedstock to the Dangote Refinery.
In an official release, Eniola Akinkuotu, spokesperson for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), confirmed that the country successfully sustained its OPEC output quota for the sixth straight month. Commission statistics revealed that daily output reached a maximum of 1.79 mbpd, whereas the lowest figures dropped to 1.60 mbpd during the corresponding period.
Compared to the previous month, national output experienced a marginal dip of 0.03 mbpd, translating to a reduction of roughly 30,000 barrels per day or a 1.75 percent decline. Historical performance metrics published by the regulatory body indicate that national production figures stood at 1.70 mbpd in May, 1.73 mbpd in June, 1.677 mbpd in July, 1.677 mbpd in August, and 1.71 mbpd in September, prior to settling at 1.68 mbpd in October.
When excluding condensate, official NUPRC records show that pure crude oil output averaged 1.51 mbpd in October, which accounts for 101 percent of the designated 1.5 mbpd allocation mandated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Why is the Dangote Refinery struggling to secure local feedstock?
Despite meeting international quotas, domestic production levels remain inadequate for the Dangote Refinery, a multi-billion- dollar facility boasting an installed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels daily. This supply constraint follows previous admissions by federal authorities confirming a scarcity of local crude to satisfy the plant's massive daily demands.
Market intelligence indicates that the sprawling industrial plant currently imports between 20 and 22 percent of its required crude supplies from international markets, while local sources cover the remaining 78 to 80 percent. The local allocation is coordinated primarily through state channels managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).