December Licensing Program: NUPRC Offers 50 Oil and Gas Blocks
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that its much-anticipated 2025 petroleum licensing programme will begin on December 1, 2025 — offering 50 oil and gas blocks to interested investors.
According to the Commission, the 50 blocks span a variety of geological terrains — covering onshore, shallow water, and deep water basins — across multiple basins in Nigeria.
Detailed guidelines, eligibility criteria, and full block information will be published on the NUPRC’s dedicated licensing portal ahead of the bidding process
To facilitate investor engagement, NUPRC has scheduled a pre‑bid conference in Lagos on December 17. Additionally, a series of international roadshows is planned for early 2026, with stops in Dubai, Singapore, Beijing, and Houston aimed at attracting global capital into Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.
The licensing programme is part of NUPRC’s broader mandate under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (PIA) to reinvigorate the country’s upstream industry, expand hydrocarbon reserves, and draw foreign and domestic investment.
The initiative comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to reverse years of underinvestment in upstream assets and unlock dormant reservoirs for production.
Industry watchers believe the round could mark a turning point, potentially boosting exploration activities, generating new jobs, and laying the groundwork for increased oil and gas production capacity. As NUPRC moves to operationalize the licensing exercise, all eyes will be on investor uptake and the subsequent pace of field development across the selected blocks.
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