By Stella Odueme
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) says ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector have increased Nigeria's crude oil production by 600,000 barrels per day, from about 1.2 million barrels to 1.8 million barrels per day.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this on Tuesday during an Energy Talk session at the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Speaking on the theme, "Nigeria's Reform Agenda: Competing for Energy Capital", Ojulari attributed the growth to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, improved investment conditions, better investment decisions and stronger collaboration between the national oil company and its partners.
He said NNPC Limited was targeting production of two million barrels per day by 2027 through improved maintenance of existing infrastructure, protection of current production levels and execution of new projects.
According to him in a statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, Andy Odeh on Tuesday, current production level of 1.8 million barrels per day represents progress towards the country's broader production ambition.
"The figure of 1.8 million barrels per day is a stage in a journey towards our objective. We are concentrating on the basics, which are maintaining our infrastructure, protecting base operations and executing the projects that will take production higher," he said.
On domestic energy reforms, Ojulari explained that the removal of petrol subsidy had been complemented by an expanded Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme.
He disclosed that more than 400 CNG conversion centres had been established, while over 1,000 trucks involved in the transportation of petroleum products had been converted to run on natural gas.
The NNPC chief also announced that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline was completed in August 2026, while the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline was expected to deliver gas to Abuja before the end of the year.
He said the gas infrastructure would support electricity generation, data centres and industrial development.
Ojulari further disclosed that the company's management had conducted a comprehensive assessment of its assets and infrastructure to identify areas of strength and those requiring improvement.
He maintained that the performance of the national oil company would ultimately be measured by its achievements rather than promises.
"Our track record will be judged by what is done and not by what is said," he stated.
On regional gas development, Ojulari said countries participating in the proposed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline had aligned and executed the necessary agreements.
He added that Nigeria, Algeria and Niger had also reached an understanding on the development of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.
The GCEO said NNPC Limited was targeting national gas production of 10 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2027 and 12 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030.
He explained that the targets would be supported by the expansion of domestic gas utilisation and export markets.
Speaking on investment opportunities, Ojulari identified major projects, including TotalEnergies' Ubeta, Shell's Bonga South-West and Eni's Zabazaba developments, noting that commercial agreements covering about $20 billion in investments had been concluded.
He added that NNPC Limited was strengthening partnerships with international investors, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Chinese investors in Nigeria's refineries, while engaging global service companies to expand industry capacity.
Ojulari reaffirmed the company's commitment to transparency and effective project delivery, citing its organisation of two consecutive earnings calls as part of efforts to improve accountability.
The 2026 ADIPEC, held under the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and hosted by ADNOC, attracted more than 239,000 participants from over 170 countries, including government officials, industry executives, investors and technology leaders.
The conference focused on energy security, investment opportunities and the future of global energy supply.