By Stella Odueme
Nigeria’s crude oil production peaked at 1.84 million barrels per day in September 2026, as the country sustained its record of meeting the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota for the fifth consecutive month.
Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that the country recorded an average daily production of 1.53 million barrels of crude oil in September, exceeding its OPEC-assigned quota of 1.5 million barrels per day by two per cent.
The figures further indicated that Nigeria produced an average of 1,717,030 barrels of crude oil and condensate daily during the month, representing a 2.34 per cent increase from the previous month.
Daily production ranged from a low of 1.68 million barrels to a peak of 1.84 million barrels during the period under review.
The September performance extended Nigeria’s streak of meeting its OPEC crude oil production target, following average daily output of 1.53 million barrels in May, 1.55 million barrels in June, 1.51 million barrels in July, 1.5 million barrels in August and 1.53 million barrels in September.
The sustained output was attributed largely to stable operations across most producing assets and the absence of major pipeline outages during the month.
These conditions contributed to improved operational uptime and more efficient crude oil evacuation, supporting efforts by the government and industry operators to maintain production growth.
The figures also underscored ongoing efforts by operators and other stakeholders in the upstream petroleum sector to improve operational efficiency, preserve asset integrity and ensure reliable production.
A breakdown of average daily crude oil and condensate output by terminal and stream showed that Forcados Terminal recorded the highest production at 320.32 thousand barrels per day.
Bonny Terminal followed with an average daily output of 303.27 thousand barrels.
The September figures point to continued progress in Nigeria’s efforts to sustain crude oil production and fulfil its OPEC commitments, with operational stability and improved production reliability remaining critical to maintaining output levels.