Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector has recorded an increase in drilling activity, with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) approving 740 well operations and 39 Field Development Plans in the first 10 months of 2026.
The approvals comprise 595 well re-entry operations and 145 new well-drilling operations, reflecting increased regulatory activity aimed at accelerating oil and gas development and supporting production growth.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos during a presentation at the 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).
Eyesan, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Basinal Administration, Ahmad Abdullahi, said the Commission had improved its approval timelines, reducing the delays and costs associated with projects awaiting regulatory clearance.
She said the approvals were part of efforts to ensure that regulatory processes support production targets and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
The NUPRC chief also disclosed that Nigeria’s total rig count had reached 100, with 46 rigs currently active in drilling operations.
According to her, the country’s rig activity has increased by more than 300 per cent compared with the level recorded in 2021.
Eyesan attributed the improvement to greater regulatory certainty, saying investors were more willing to commit capital when they had confidence in the policies and operating environment of the upstream sector.
She also linked increased investor confidence to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), particularly its impact on seismic data acquisition.
According to her, multi-client seismic companies have invested more than $100 million in acquiring seismic data in Nigeria within the three years following the enactment of the PIA.
The investments are expected to improve geological understanding of the country’s sedimentary basins and provide exploration companies with better information for identifying potential oil and gas resources.
On security, Eyesan said the Commission had introduced initiatives, including the Advanced Cargo Declaration programme and coordinated surveillance involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Tantita Security Services and the Nigerian Navy.
She said the regulator’s responsibility extended beyond punishing operators and those involved in crude oil theft, stressing the need to create conditions where legitimate oil production becomes more profitable than stealing crude.
The presentation was delivered at the NAPE conference, which is themed, “Energy Security in an Era of Global Disruption: Positioning Nigeria for Resilience, Competitiveness, and Prosperity.”
