Nigeria Achieves OPEC’s Crude Oil Production Target

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced that Nigeria’s crude oil production surged, hitting an average of 1.53 million barrels per day (bpd) in January 2025.

This milestone marks Nigeria’s first attainment of the 1.5 million bpd production quota set by OPEC.

This production quota was established during the OPEC ministerial meeting in November 2023 for the 2024 period. OPEC’s latest monthly oil market report shows that Nigeria’s production increased from 1.485 million bpd in December 2024, reflecting an additional 54,000 bpd.

Previously, Nigeria struggled for over a year to meet its OPEC production quota, resulting in an extension of the target period until 2026. The recent increase signals a significant recovery in Nigeria’s oil sector.

OPEC collects crude oil production data from direct communication with Nigerian officials and independent energy intelligence platforms (secondary sources). According to this data, Nigeria remains Africa’s largest oil producer, surpassing Algeria, which recorded 907,000 bpd in January 2025.

Congo emerged as Africa’s third-largest oil producer with a production of 251,000 bpd during the same period.

On a global scale, OPEC’s total crude oil production across its 12 member countries averaged 40.62 million barrels per day (mb/d) in January 2025, showing a month-on-month decline of 118,000 barrels per day. The report notes production increases in Libya, Congo, and Gabon, while significant declines were observed in Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Venezuela.

Non-OPEC crude oil production slightly increased, averaging 13.94 mb/d in January 2025, primarily due to higher output in Kazakhstan, while Russia’s production declined.

Looking forward, Nigeria’s oil output is anticipated to grow further, particularly as the Dangote Refinery nears full operational capacity. OPEC noted that the refinery’s maximum production levels could stabilize the domestic supply of petroleum products and potentially reduce petrol prices in Nigeria.