The latest executive order by President Bola Tinubu to lower costs and enhance revenue from oil and gas projects is strengthening the competitiveness of doing business in Nigeria, says the African Energy Chamber (AEC).
The Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) introduces performance-based tax incentives for upstream operators and is expected to play an instrumental role in attracting investment, driving development and unlocking greater value from the country’s oil and gas resources.
The executive chairman of AEC, NJ Ayuk, reacting to the announcement, commended the Nigerian government’s continued commitment to not only improving the operating climate for oil and gas firms, but strengthening the competitiveness of doing business in Nigeria.
“This recent executive order is a testament to Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its regulatory landscape, improving fiscals and supporting revenue generation across the oil and gas industry. The order is expected to play a significant role in attracting new investment into the country at a time when national production goals require greater capital and technology injection,” he pointed out.
The Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) positions the country as a globally competitive hydrocarbon market,” Ayuk said.
The Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) is an intentional strategy to transform the country, and with this reform, Nigeria is well-positioned to attract fresh investment across its upstream oil and gas sector – reaffirming the country’s position as one of Africa’s top producers.
The Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) will feature incentives for operators who deliver verifiable cost savings that meet defined industry benchmarks.
With both policies, Nigeria is expected to accelerate investment in exploration and production.
The impact of the PIA has already been felt across the country, with energy companies – from majors to independents to the national oil company (NOC – making sizable investments. Renaissance Africa Energy – a consortium of independents is planning $15 billion in spending across 32 oil and projects; ExxonMobil is investing $1.5 billion to revitalise the Usan deepwater oilfield at OML 138; while TotalEnergies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company is investing $550 million in a non-association gas project.
ExxonMobil’s Usan field plans to make a final investment decision Q3, 2025.
In 2024, the country secured $6.7 billion in investments, with $5.5 billion of this directed towards oil and gas asset acquisitions. Looking ahead, both the PIA (2021) and Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) are expected to entice greater spending across the market, providing operators with strong fiscals that prioritise high returns.
By 2029, Nigeria seeks to unlock $30 billion in oil and $5 billion in gas investments, and the policies are anticipated to serve as a driving force behind this goal.
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