By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has officially announced the commencement of the 2025 Licensing Round, set to begin on December 1, 2025.
The announcement was made by NUPRC Chief Executive Gbenga Komolafe at the Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum in London on Tuesday. In a statement by Eniola Akinkuotu, NUPRC Head of Media and Strategic Communication, Komolafe said the move followed approval from President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
“We are announcing that we are ready, following the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, to commence the 2025 Licensing Round beginning from December 1, 2025,” Komolafe stated.
The 2025 Licensing Round aims to unlock Nigeria’s undeveloped and fallow oil and gas fields, with a particular emphasis on gas assets. The initiative seeks to accelerate upstream production and bring previously discovered but unexploited fields into commercial operation.
Licensing rounds have long been a key feature of Nigeria’s upstream sector, with major exercises conducted in 2000, 2005, and 2007, and smaller, targeted rounds in the 2010s for marginal fields and deepwater assets. These rounds are designed to attract investment and stimulate production, though some blocks awarded in previous rounds stalled due to technical, financial, or regulatory challenges.
The NUPRC is expected to release detailed guidelines ahead of the licensing round, including the list of blocks on offer, pre-qualification requirements, and submission timelines, ensuring transparency and clarity for prospective investors.
