Nigeria recorded its strongest oil production performance of 2026 in April, as total liquid output rose to 1.66 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 1.54 million bpd in March, according to data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
Crude oil production alone increased to 1.489 million bpd in April from 1.383 million bpd recorded in March, representing a 7.7 per cent rise. However, the country still fell slightly short of the 1.5 million bpd production quota allocated by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC’s quota calculation excludes condensates.
Total crude oil and condensate production in April stood at 49.90 million barrels, compared to 47.93 million barrels in March. On a daily basis, combined liquid production climbed by about 7.1 per cent from 1.55 million bpd in March to 1.66 million bpd in April.
Production trends during the first four months of the year showed fluctuating but improving output levels.
Total liquid production was 50.45 million barrels in January before dropping to 41.55 million barrels in February. Output later rebounded to 47.93 million barrels in March and further increased to 49.90 million barrels in April.
Daily average production followed a similar pattern, starting at 1.63 million bpd in January, declining to 1.48 million bpd in February, then rising to 1.55 million bpd in March and reaching 1.66 million bpd in April. April’s performance slightly surpassed January’s level, indicating a gradual recovery after the February dip.
Despite the gains, Nigeria’s average crude production in April represented about 99 per cent of its OPEC quota, leaving the country marginally below target.
Condensate production also improved, rising to 174,872 bpd in April from 163,251 bpd in March. The increase in national output was largely driven by stronger production from major export terminals, including Bonny, Forcados, Bonga, Anyala-Madu, and several offshore assets.
Bonny remained Nigeria’s highest-producing stream in April, with combined crude oil and condensate output increasing to 8.85 million barrels from 8.42 million barrels in March, a growth of about 5.1 per cent.
Forcados recorded one of the strongest recoveries among the country’s major streams, as production surged to 7.35 million barrels in April from 5.18 million barrels in March, marking a sharp 42 per cent increase.
In contrast, Qua Iboe experienced a decline, with output falling to 4.97 million barrels in April from 5.25 million barrels in March, representing a 5.4 per cent drop.
The data also showed that some oil streams remained inactive or recorded minimal production volumes during the period, with the Aje field producing no output in April.
Overall, April’s figures marked Nigeria’s highest production level so far this year and reflected ongoing recovery efforts in the upstream petroleum sector after years of disruptions caused by crude theft, pipeline vandalism, ageing infrastructure, underinvestment, and force majeure declarations at several export terminals.
The improved output also suggested that enhanced security operations around oil infrastructure and the restoration of key evacuation channels may be helping to stabilise production activities across the Niger Delta.
However, Nigeria’s inability to fully meet its OPEC quota highlights the fragile nature of the recovery and underscores the need for sustained investment, stronger pipeline protection, and improved operational efficiency across the oil sector.
Although the country is now within less than one per cent of its OPEC target, maintaining the current momentum will depend largely on the ability of operators and government agencies to prevent fresh disruptions and sustain stable production across major oil assets.
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