The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced the completion of the pre-qualification stage for the 2025 oil licensing round, formally notifying successful applicants to proceed to the next phase of the process.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission disclosed that the notification was sent to qualified firms on March 16, 2026, in line with the guidelines governing the 2025 Licensing Round.
The development marks a key milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to attract investment into its upstream petroleum sector and boost crude oil production capacity.
With the pre-qualification stage concluded, NUPRC said successful applicants are now eligible to access critical geological and technical data required for the preparation of their bids.
The commission noted that, effective March 17, 2026, pre-qualified companies can begin leasing data as part of the requirements for submitting both technical and commercial proposals.
According to the regulator, applicants are mandated to obtain data strictly from two approved sources, depending on the category of assets of interest. Evidence of payment for the data must also be uploaded as a compulsory prerequisite for participation in the bidding stage.
“The Commission wishes to inform the public that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified successful pre-qualified applicants accordingly,” the statement read.
It added that the move underscores NUPRC’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, competitive, and well-structured licensing process that aligns with global best practices.
Industry analysts say the transition to the data leasing phase signals increasing momentum in the licensing round, which is expected to draw interest from both local and international investors seeking opportunities in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector.
The availability of high-quality subsurface data is considered crucial in enabling bidders to make informed investment decisions and submit competitive offers.
The licensing round comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to ramp up oil production, improve revenue generation, and reposition its energy sector amid evolving global dynamics.
By advancing the process in a timely manner, the regulator aims to sustain investor confidence and enhance the country’s attractiveness as a destination for upstream investments.
NUPRC also reiterated that all participants must strictly comply with the outlined procedures to ensure fairness and integrity throughout the process.
The commission encouraged stakeholders and interested parties to visit the official licensing round portal for further details and updates.
The commission had officially flagged off the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round on December 1, 2025, as part of the federal government’s efforts to boost investment and reposition the country’s upstream petroleum sector for growth.
According to the regulator, the 2025 bid round offers a total of 50 oil and gas blocks.
These include 15 onshore blocks, 19 in shallow waters, 15 frontier acreages, and one deep offshore block. The initiative is aimed at increasing the nation’s hydrocarbon reserves, ramping up production, and accelerating gas development.
The commission had projected that the exercise could attract between $10bn and $15bn in investment and potentially add up to two billion barrels to Nigeria’s oil reserves over the next decade.
It noted that the expected inflow of capital would also support job creation, enhance production capacity, and contribute to naira stability.
The regulator further explained that the 2025 licensing round is expected to run for approximately six months and will adopt a two-stage bidding process.
