Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Lauds $400m Otakikpo Terminal For Boosting Nigeria’s Crude Export Capacity

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has hailed the commissioning of the Otakikpo Crude Oil Export Terminal as a landmark achievement that will transform the country’s upstream oil and gas sector.

Announced on the NUPRC’s verified X handle on Friday, the terminal is celebrated as the first fully indigenous onshore export terminal in over five decades, marking a new chapter for Nigeria’s crude export infrastructure.

The Otakikpo Terminal, commissioned in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, boasts a storage capacity of 750,000 barrels—expandable to three million barrels—and a pumping capacity of up to 360,000 barrels per day. Since its launch, the facility has successfully completed four export operations, cumulatively moving over one million barrels of crude oil within just four months of operation.

NUPRC CEO Gbenga Komolafe described the terminal as “historic on two levels,” emphasising its critical role in expanding Nigeria’s export infrastructure at a time when existing facilities such as the Bonny and Forcados terminals are congested and operating close to capacity. Komolafe explained that Otakikpo significantly reduces dependence on these overburdened terminals, cutting costs and eliminating delays, which enhances the efficiency and security of Nigeria’s crude exports.

Komolafe praised indigenous operators for now producing more than 30 per cent of Nigeria’s national crude output, asserting that terminals like Otakikpo exemplify Nigerian companies’ capability to build and operate sophisticated, world-class oil infrastructure.

He reflected on how previous major terminals, constructed from the 1960s through 1970s, were developed by multinational oil firms such as Shell, Chevron, BP, and Agip, making Otakikpo’s indigenous origin a milestone in the nation’s petroleum industry history.

Highlighting the terminal’s strategic importance, Komolafe noted its alignment with Nigeria’s near-term crude oil production target of 1.8 million barrels per day, ensuring efficient evacuation capacity to support national output growth. The new export hub lessens the risk of security issues and pipeline disruptions by diversifying export points beyond the traditional terminals in Rivers State.

The terminal’s impact extends beyond export volumes. It unlocks over 40 stranded oil fields in the region, with estimated reserves exceeding three billion barrels. Once fully developed, these fields could boost Nigeria’s production by over 200,000 barrels per day, further enhancing the country’s position in global oil markets.

Professor Anthony Adegbulugbe, chairman and CEO of Green Energy International Limited, the indigenous company behind Otakikpo, hailed the project as a symbol of Nigerian ingenuity and technical expertise.

Completed ahead of schedule in less than two years and entirely by Nigerian talent, the terminal is a testament to the country’s growing capabilities in upstream oil and gas development.

Adegbulugbe credited the project’s success to progressive policies under the Renewed Hope Agenda, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and reforms instituted by the Petroleum Industry Act. He also lauded support from the Ministry of State for Petroleum, led by Dr. Heineken Lokpobiri, and regulatory bodies, including NUPRC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), whose transparency and clarity helped drive the timely completion of the facility.

Expressing gratitude to the financial community and fellow E&P operators, Adegbulugbe emphasised that the commissioning of Otakikpo is just the beginning of a broader transformation of the energy sector.

He urged industry stakeholders, government, and investors to capitalise on this momentum and fully realise Nigeria’s vast energy potential for national development.

In concluding remarks, Professor Adegbulugbe dedicated the terminal’s success to the engineers, workers, visionaries, and the Nigerian people whose collective efforts have inaugurated a new era of indigenous excellence in the country’s upstream oil and gas industry. He affirmed Nigeria’s readiness to lead and deliver globally competitive energy projects, defining its energy future with local capacity and innovation.

The Otakikpo Terminal will be a game-changer not only for crude export capacity but also as a bold demonstration of Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape, where indigenous operators are taking centre stage in securing the nation’s oil and gas future.