Nigeria’s upstream oil sector has recorded its lowest crude oil losses in nearly 16 years, with figures dropping to 9,600 barrels per day (bpd) in July 2025. According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), this is the lowest daily average since 2009 when losses were pegged at 8,500 bpd.
Data released by the Commission on crude oil losses up to July 2025 showed that a total of 2.04 million barrels were lost between January and July, averaging 9,600 bpd. This represents a 50.2 per cent reduction compared to the 4.1 million barrels lost in the entire 2024 calendar year, which had averaged 11,300 bpd.
The report further revealed that the improvement marks a significant departure from years of massive theft and metering challenges that have long undermined Nigeria’s production capacity. In 2021, for instance, losses stood at 37.6 million barrels, with a daily average of 102,900 bpd — the highest figure in nearly 23 years.
By contrast, 2022 recorded 20.9 million barrels lost at 57,200 bpd, while 2023 saw a sharp decline to 4.3 million barrels at 11,900 bpd. In 2024, losses were further contained at 4.1 million barrels, averaging 11,300 bpd. With only 2.04 million barrels lost in the first seven months of 2025, Nigeria has reduced crude oil losses by 94.57 per cent compared to 2021, underscoring the scale of progress achieved in just four years.
The Commission attributed the steady decline to a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures. On the kinetic front, NUPRC said it has deepened collaboration with security agencies, operators, and host communities to secure oilfields and pipelines. On the regulatory side, the Commission has pursued a series of reforms, including a comprehensive metering audit across upstream facilities to close systemic loopholes and ensure accuracy in production and export data.
To further strengthen crude evacuation and tackle theft, NUPRC under the leadership of its Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, approved 37 new evacuation routes. These, the Commission noted, are part of wider efforts to sustain the momentum and consolidate the gains of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) implementation.
NUPRC maintained that its strategy of combining enforcement with regulatory oversight has been central to curbing theft, restoring confidence in the system, and projecting Nigeria as a reliable player in the international oil market.
