The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced Friday, June 12, 2026, as the final deadline for companies participating in the 2025 oil and gas licensing round to submit their technical and commercial bids.
According to the commission, all prequalified applicants must complete and submit their proposals by 4:30 p.m. West Africa Time (WAT). The announcement was made through the regulator’s official social media platform and is in line with the guidelines established for the 2025 Licensing Round.
The licensing exercise follows a two-stage process. The first stage involved the prequalification of interested companies, while the second and final stage requires shortlisted firms to submit detailed technical and commercial bids for the oil and gas assets on offer.
The 2025 Licensing Round was officially launched in December 2025 as part of Nigeria’s efforts to attract fresh investments into the upstream petroleum sector. Through the exercise, the government offered a total of 50 oil and gas blocks to investors from within and outside the country.
The blocks available in the round cover different terrains and exploration categories. They include 15 onshore blocks, 19 shallow-water blocks, 15 frontier exploration blocks, and one deep-water block. These assets are expected to stimulate exploration activities, increase oil reserves, and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global energy market.
NUPRC estimates that the licensing round could attract approximately $10 billion in investments over the coming years. The regulator also projects that successful development of the blocks could unlock around two billion barrels of crude oil reserves within the next decade.
In addition to boosting reserves, the commission believes the projects could significantly increase Nigeria’s oil production capacity. According to its projections, the blocks may contribute an additional 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day once exploration and production activities reach full development.
Earlier this year, the commission completed the prequalification phase of the licensing process. In March, NUPRC confirmed that successful applicants had been notified and invited to proceed to the bidding stage.
Speaking previously at the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2026, NUPRC’s Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, emphasized that the licensing round is designed to unlock Nigeria’s vast upstream oil and gas potential.
He explained that the exercise aligns with the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which aims to create a more transparent, predictable, and investor-friendly environment for energy companies operating in Nigeria.
Industry observers see the licensing round as an important test of investor confidence in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. If successful, it could help drive exploration activities, create jobs, increase government revenue, and support long-term growth in the country’s oil and gas industry.
With the submission deadline now only days away, participating companies are expected to finalize their proposals as competition intensifies for access to some of Nigeria’s most promising oil and gas assets.
