On Tuesday, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced that it has wrapped up the pre-qualification phase for the 2025 Licensing Round and has informed the successful applicants accordingly.
A statement from Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media and Strategic Communication at NUPRC, revealed that notifications were sent to the pre- qualified bidders on March 16, 2026, in adherence to the guidelines of the licensing round for that year.
Following this successful completion of the pre-qualification phase, the commission indicated that starting Tuesday, qualified applicants can begin leasing data in preparation for their technical and commercial bid submissions.
The upcoming 2025 oil licensing round is anticipated to be a highly significant event within Nigeria's upstream sector, particularly amid the country's efforts to curb its dwindling crude oil output and encourage new investments in its petroleum industry.
Conducted under the frameworks provided by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), this licensing exercise aims to promote transparency and commercial focus in the regulation and administration of oil exploration activities. The NUPRC has been designated as the governing body for this purpose.
In total, 50 oil and gas blocks will be made available for bidding across a range of settings, including onshore, shallow water, deep offshore, and frontier regions within various sedimentary basins. This diverse offering is intended to draw a variety of investors, from local companies skilled in onshore exploration to multinational oil corporations experienced in deepwater operations, while also unlocking areas that have seen less activity.
In recent years, Nigeria has faced challenges in consistently meeting its production quotas set by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), attributed to factors such as underinvestment, outdated infrastructure, crude oil theft, and persistent regulatory uncertainties prior to the PIA's enactment in 2021.
Production levels have often fallen short of the country’s capacity, putting pressure on the government to tap into new reserves, optimize current assets, and rebuild investor confidence in the upstream sector.
The NUPRC emphasized that pre-qualified bidders are required to lease data exclusively from specified sources and to provide proof of payment as a condition for bid submissions.
"The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announces that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified the successful applicants," the commission stated.
They added, "This notification occurred on March 16, 2026, as per the guidelines for the 2025 Licensing Round. Eligible applicants will be allowed to lease data from March 17, 2026, to get ready for their technical and commercial bids."
"Please note, applicants must lease data only from the two designated sources and submit proof of payment as part of their bidding process," NUPRC further clarified.
Data leasing, which occurs post-prequalification, is crucial for bidders as it allows them access to essential geological and geophysical data needed to formulate informed technical and commercial bids. This requirement aims to standardize access to information and ensure fairness in the bidding contest.
Formal launch of the 2025 licensing round took place in December 2025 following President Bola Tinubu's approval, as part of broader initiatives to draw in new investments into Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.
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