KEY POINTS
- Nigeria’s crude output rose to 1.459 million bpd in January, up 37,000 bpd from December.
- Production remained about 50,000 bpd below its OPEC quota for the sixth straight month.
- The country retained its position as Africa’s top oil producer ahead of Libya while pursuing higher output targets.
Nigeria’s crude oil production rose to 1.459 million barrels per day in January 2026, according to the latest Monthly Oil Market Report released by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. The figure represents a slight improvement from December 2025 output of 1.422 million bpd, marking a month-on-month increase of about 37,000 bpd.
The data was compiled through direct communication between OPEC and Nigerian authorities and reflects gradual recovery in the country’s oil sector after months of inconsistent production levels.
Despite the rise, Nigeria’s production still fell short of its OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd by roughly 50,000 bpd. This marks the sixth consecutive month that the country has failed to meet its assigned ceiling, underscoring persistent structural, technical, and operational challenges affecting output.
OPEC’s secondary sources, including independent analysts and market trackers, estimated Nigeria’s January production slightly higher at 1.47 million bpd, a difference attributed to varying measurement methods.
Nigeria retains position as Africa’s top producer
With the latest figures, Nigeria maintained its ranking as Africa’s largest crude producer, ahead of Libya, which recorded about 1.37 million bpd during the same period.
Analysts say the incremental growth could support government revenue and foreign exchange inflows, but warn that sustained compliance with OPEC quotas will require deeper reforms, increased investment in upstream operations, and improved efficiency across the sector.
Nigeria has set a target of reaching 2 million bpd before the end of the year and aims to increase production further to 2.5 million bpd by 2027.
