• Nigeria launched a 50-block oil licensing round in December 2025 and eased financial terms in January 2026.
• The upstream regulator urged state-owned NNPC Ltd to apply alongside private operators.
• Authorities seek to revive oil exploration, particularly in northern Nigeria.

Nigeria launched a new oil licensing round in December 2025, offering a total of 50 oil blocks for auction. In late January 2026, the upstream regulator announced a relaxation of the financial conditions attached to the bidding process.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) invited the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to apply for new oil blocks under the 2025 licensing round, which remains ongoing.

The regulator disclosed the invitation on Friday, February 6, following a meeting in Abuja between NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and NNPC Ltd executive Bayo Ojulari.

In a statement published on its website, the NUPRC said its chief executive had “encouraged NNPC, as the national oil company, to participate in the ongoing 2025 licensing round” in order to “strengthen exploration activities.”

The regulator clarified that the bidding process does not target only private Nigerian or international operators. The commission said the process also remains open to public companies, including NNPC Ltd, provided applicants comply with the existing regulatory framework. NNPC Ltd has not stated whether it plans to participate in the current licensing round.

NNPC Ltd already conducts oil and gas exploration and production through its dedicated subsidiary, NNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited (NEPL). According to information published on the group’s official website, NEPL manages upstream operations and oversees the company’s exploration and production interests.

This development comes as Nigerian authorities signal renewed efforts to revive oil exploration, particularly in the country’s northern regions. As previously reported by Agence Ecofin, the government aims to intensify prospecting activities to increase Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources, following several exploration campaigns conducted in the northern basin.

Abdel-Latif Boureima