NUPRC Launches 2025 Licensing Round on December 1, Aiming to Accelerate Gas Assets and Production.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has formally announced the start of its 2025 Licensing Round, effective December 1, 2025. NUPRC Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, made the declaration in London on Tuesday during the Commission’s Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum. Komolafe, as quoted in a statement by NUPRC Head of Media, Eniola Akinkuotu, confirmed that the announcement follows the approval of President Bola Tinubu, who acts as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Komolafe stated that the new licensing initiative is designed to accelerate upstream production and bring fields that have been discovered but remain unexploited into commercial operation. He also noted that licensing rounds have been a key feature of Nigeria’s upstream sector for decades.
Major licensing rounds took place in 2000, 2005, and 2007, followed by smaller, targeted rounds for marginal fields and deepwater assets throughout the 2010s. While these exercises were intended to attract investment and stimulate production, some blocks awarded previously were delayed by technical, financial, or regulatory challenges. To ensure transparency and clarity for prospective investors, the NUPRC is expected to publish comprehensive guidelines soon, including the list of blocks on offer, pre-qualification criteria, and submission deadlines.
