Nigeria’s crude oil production fell in July 2026, ending a steady rise recorded during the first half of the year. Despite the decline, the country still produced enough crude to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota for the third consecutive month.
Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that Nigeria produced an average of 1.505 million barrels of crude oil per day in July. This was slightly above the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day.
When condensate production is added, Nigeria’s total crude oil and condensate output increased to about 1.67 million barrels per day.
However, July’s performance was lower than the 1.735 million barrels per day recorded in June. The difference represents a decline of about 65,000 barrels per day, or roughly four per cent, from the previous month.
According to the NUPRC, the drop was mainly linked to operational problems affecting production at the Erha and Akpo oil fields. The disruptions reduced output from the affected facilities and contributed significantly to the decline in national production.
The regulator said other oil-producing assets remained relatively stable during the period. Operators also continued efforts to maintain production efficiency and reduce the impact of the challenges.
Nigeria’s oil production had been on an upward trend since the beginning of 2026. Combined crude oil and condensate production stood at 1.459 million barrels per day in January before increasing to 1.483 million barrels in February.
Production then climbed to 1.564 million barrels per day in March, 1.663 million in April, 1.701 million in May and 1.735 million in June.
July therefore became the first month of the year to record a decline after six consecutive months of growth.
Despite the setback, July’s combined output remained significantly higher than January’s level. At 1.67 million barrels per day, production was about 211,000 barrels per day, or 14.5 per cent, higher than the figure recorded at the start of the year.
Daily production during July also moved between 1.57 million and 1.78 million barrels per day, showing fluctuations in output throughout the month.
Among Nigeria’s major producing streams, Forcados recorded the highest average production at about 322,340 barrels per day. Bonny followed with 303,720 barrels per day, while Qua Iboe recorded approximately 158,020 barrels per day.
Escravos produced about 131,410 barrels per day, while the Bonga stream recorded an average of 100,230 barrels per day.
The Federal Government considers higher crude production important for improving government revenue, strengthening foreign exchange earnings and attracting more investment into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The NUPRC said industry operators and other stakeholders were working to resolve the problems affecting the Erha and Akpo fields and restore lost production capacity.
If the affected facilities return to normal operations, Nigeria could see stronger crude output in the coming months. For now, the July figures show that while the country has made progress in meeting its OPEC target, maintaining consistent production remains a major challenge for the oil sector.
