By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has defended the performance of its leadership under Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, following criticism linked to the recently concluded oil licensing round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The company, in a statement, said it had recorded steady growth in crude oil and gas production, reinforcing its transformation into a commercially driven and globally competitive energy company.
NNPC said recent media reports attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), which questioned the performance of its leadership over the licensing round, required clarification.
On the licensing round, the company said the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 gives the NUPRC responsibility for conducting oil licensing rounds and allocating oil blocks.
It stressed that NNPC Ltd., since its incorporation, has operated as a commercial entity and does not possess regulatory or oil block allocation powers.
On crude oil production, NNPC said publicly available data showed an improvement in output under the current leadership.
According to the company, average crude oil production, including condensates, stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) in April 2025 before rising to 1.67 mbpd by April 2026.
It said the increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represented approximately six per cent growth.
NNPC also reported an increase in gas production, saying output rose from an average of 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd by April 2026, representing five per cent growth.
The company said the increase in gas production supported Nigeria’s domestic energy security and export commitments.
NNPC said the production figures were contained in its publicly available Monthly Performance Reports.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, adding that it would continue to engage openly on issues concerning its operations and performance.
It also warned that it would take necessary steps to protect the reputation of the company and its leadership against what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
NNPC urged industry commentators, analysts and professional associations to verify information through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before publishing their assessments, saying accurate and balanced reporting would contribute to informed discussions about Nigeria’s energy sector.
