143 Companies Vie For 50 Oil, Gas Blocks At NUPRC Commercial Bid Conference

A total of 143 pre-qualified companies will converge on Abuja on July 21 to compete for 50 oil and gas blocks in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) Commercial Bid Conference.

The conference, set for Abuja, follows a rigorous prequalification process for the 2025 Licensing Round. From 286 initial submissions, 196 firms were cleared to enter the technical and commercial phase, and 143 ultimately submitted 200 bids and qualified to attend the commercial session.

The blocks on offer span multiple terrains: Niger Delta Onshore (16), Niger Delta Shallow Water (18), Niger Delta Deep Offshore (1), Benin Basin Onshore (3), Anambra Basin Onshore (4), Chad Basin Onshore (4) and Benue Trough (4).

Bids will be assessed using a weighted technical and commercial scoring system. Key commercial parameters include the signature bonus, bidders’ work programme commitments and guarantees of performance security; those elements, combined with technical scores, will determine successful applicants.

The 2025 Licensing Round was announced on November 11, 2025 under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. The bid portal opened on December 1, 2025, and a Pre-Bid Conference to guide registrants took place on January 14, 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos. Registration and prequalification submissions closed on February 27, 2026, with the prequalification stage completed on March 16, 2026.

Attendance at the Commercial Bid Conference is strictly by invitation as NUPRC advances the selection process toward award decisions.

Recall that the 2025 Licensing Round was first announced on November 11, 2025 and advertised widely in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The bid portal was launched on December 1, 2025, for registration, and a Pre-Bid Conference followed on January 14, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

The Pre-Bid Conference served as an opportunity to educate registered bidders and other interested members of the public about the guidelines of the exercise.

The registration and submission for prequalification evaluation closed on February 27, 2026 while the prequalification stage was completed on March 16, 2026

A total of 286 companies submitted for prequalification, of which 196 were prequalified to participate in the technical and commercial bid phase. Consequently, 143 companies submitted 200 bids.