Nigeria’s crude oil output rose to 1.459 million barrels per day (bpd) in January 2026, reinforcing its status as Africa’s leading oil producer, although production remained below its allocation set by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The figures were revealed in OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR), released on Wednesday.
The report shows a modest month-on-month increase in output, indicating gradual recovery in the sector.
However, it also underscores Nigeria’s ongoing challenges in consistently meeting its assigned production ceiling due to structural and operational constraints.
According to the data, crude production rose from 1.422 million bpd in December 2025 to 1.459 million bpd in January 2026 — an increase of 37,000 bpd.
The statistics were derived from direct communication between OPEC and Nigerian authorities.
Despite the improvement, Nigeria fell short of its 1.5 million bpd OPEC quota by about 50,000 bpd. This marks the sixth straight month the country has produced below its allocated target.
What the Figures Indicate
A breakdown of the report confirmed that January’s output stood at 1.459 million bpd compared to 1.422 million bpd recorded in December.
OPEC’s secondary sources — including independent analysts and market monitors — estimated Nigeria’s production slightly higher at 1.47 million bpd, reflecting minor variations in reporting methodologies typical in OPEC assessments.
Retaining Africa’s Top Spot
With the latest production figures, Nigeria maintained its position as Africa’s largest crude oil producer, ahead of Libya, which posted 1.37 million bpd during the same period.
While the gradual increase offers renewed hope for improved government revenue and foreign exchange inflows, industry experts emphasize that sustained compliance with OPEC quotas will require comprehensive reforms, increased upstream investment, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Given Nigeria’s heavy reliance on oil exports to finance its budget and support currency stability, bridging the production gap remains a key priority in the months ahead.
The country has set an ambitious goal of raising crude output to 2 million bpd this year, with plans to further increase production to 2.5 million bpd by 2027.