The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has outlined an ambitious plan to boost crude oil and gas production in 2026, driven by new investments and a review of its asset portfolio.
The Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, said the company is focused on attracting the right mix of investors across the oil and gas value chain to accelerate output and unlock idle assets.
Ojulari made this known following a recent inspection tour of the project by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, alongside NNPCL executives, including the company’s Executive Vice President for Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye.
According to him, NNPCL is aiming to return to a production level of at least 1.8 million barrels of oil per day by next year, while also recording further growth in gas output.
Ojulari noted that the company expects several major investment decisions to materialise in 2026, alongside a strategic rationalisation of its portfolio.
He explained that the review is intended to make NNPCL more attractive to investors, stimulate incremental production and revive oil and gas fields that have remained dormant for years.
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He added that President Bola Tinubu has tasked the company with meeting long-term targets, including attracting about N30 billion in additional investments by 2030 and raising crude oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027.
On infrastructure, Ojulari confirmed that NNPCL has completed the welding of the main line of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, describing it as a major milestone. He said the successful crossing of the River Niger earlier this year removed one of the project’s most persistent challenges.
With the main line completed, Ojulari said connection works would commence in early 2026, enabling gas supply to northern cities such as Kaduna, Kano, Ajaokuta and Abuja. He explained that the development is expected to support industrial parks, fertiliser production and power generation.
Ojulari also disclosed that his recent meeting with President Tinubu was to brief him on NNPCL’s 2025 performance and outline strategic priorities for 2026.
He said structural reforms within the company have already yielded results, with oil production rising from about 1.5 million barrels per day last year to over 1.7 million barrels per day in 2025, while daily gas output has also increased significantly.
