NUPRC Sets Friday Deadline for 2025 Bid Round Registration, Pre-Qualification

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has issued a final call to action for the 2025 Licensing Round, with registration and pre-qualification applications closing at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27.

The notice, aligned with Section 11.2 of the Licensing Round Guidelines, urges full compliance. No extensions are expected as global energy firms race to secure stakes in Nigeria’s oil future.

Launched in May 2025 under President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, the round offers offers 50 oil and gas blocks—15 onshore, 19 shallow-water, 15 frontier acreages, and 1 deep offshore—to boost reserves, production, and gas development.

Backed by the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), it prioritises transparency, local content, and fiscal incentives like reduced royalties on marginal fields.

Nigeria’s oil output has slumped to 1.3 million bpd amid vandalism, aging infrastructure, and underinvestment, far below 2.2 million targets. This bid aims to attract $10-15 billion, boosting production, jobs, and naira stability while aligning with the Decade of Gas push for LNG exports.

Evaluations by mid-March, technical bids in April, awards in Q3 2026, and drilling within 18 months.