Nigeria’s state-owned oil giant, NNPC Limited, has seen its monthly crude oil and condensate production slip to 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) in November, according to the company’s latest performance report.
The figures, released on Wednesday, show a decline from the 1.69 mbpd peak reached in July, as the company grapples with planned maintenance across several key deepwater and coastal assets.
Despite the dip, the firm remains optimistic about a recovery heading into the new year.
Maintenance puts a dent in output
The November output of 1.60 mbpd represents a mix of 1.36 mbpd of crude oil and 0.24 mbpd of condensate. This follows a year of fluctuating production that started at 1.67 mbpd in January before hitting various technical bottlenecks.
NNPC Limited attributed the November performance largely to scheduled maintenance activities at the Esso-Erha, Stardeep-Agbami, and Renaissance-Estuary Area assets.
The company stated that these activities are “nearing completion,” with a production recovery expected by the end of December 2025. However, the report also noted continued delays in achieving “first oil” at the WAEP assets.
Gas and pipelines: A mixed bag
The report offered a more stable outlook for Nigeria’s gas sector and critical infrastructure:
- Natural Gas Production: Output stood at 6,968 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) in November. This remains lower than the mid-year high of 7,722 mmscf/d recorded in July.
- Pipeline Progress: The flagship Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline is now 90% complete, with mainline welding and pressure testing finished. The project remains on track for a 2026 completion.
- Upstream Reliability: In a rare piece of positive infrastructure news, the company reported 100% upstream pipeline availability for the month.
Billions in statutory payments
On the financial front, NNPC Limited reported that its statutory payments to the federation for the first ten months of the year (January to October) totalled NGN 12.117 trillion.
The firm also highlighted its social impact, noting that the rehabilitation of three wards at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, has reached 90.1% completion.
Looking ahead to 2026
As the company moves into the final month of the year, it says it is intensifying collaboration with joint venture partners to “maximise infrastructure uptime”.
The focus is now shifting toward delivering a more robust 2026 production plan, which relies heavily on completing the current round of facility turn-around maintenance.
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