The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has approved 595 well re-entry operations and 145 new well-drilling activities in 2026, as Nigeria steps up efforts to increase crude oil production and strengthen energy security.
The Commission also approved 39 Field Development Plans (FDPs) during the period, reflecting efforts to accelerate project execution, reduce regulatory delays and attract fresh investment into the country’s upstream petroleum sector.
Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the Commission’s Chief Executive, disclosed the figures on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, during the management session of the 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.
Represented by Ahmad Abdullahi, Deputy Director, Basinal Administration at NUPRC, Eyesan said the approvals demonstrated improvements in the Commission’s regulatory processes and its commitment to creating a more efficient operating environment for investors.
Eyesan said the Commission had shortened approval timelines for drilling and field development projects, helping operators avoid unnecessary costs associated with prolonged regulatory processes.
“Year to date, about 39 FDPs have been approved. About 145 new well-drilling approvals granted. Year to date, about 595 well re-entry approvals were granted,” she said.
She explained that reducing waiting periods for regulatory approvals would enable operators to execute projects faster, limit costs and support the country’s production targets.
According to her, timely regulatory decisions are critical to ensuring that Nigeria’s energy security is not undermined by delays in developing oil and gas assets.
The NUPRC chief executive also disclosed that Nigeria’s total rig count had risen above 100, with 46 rigs actively engaged in drilling operations.
She said the development represented an increase of more than 300 per cent compared with the level recorded in 2021, attributing the improvement to greater regulatory certainty and renewed investor confidence.
Eyesan noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had helped strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, particularly in seismic data acquisition.
She said multi-client seismic companies had invested more than $100 million in acquiring seismic data in Nigeria within the three years following the enactment of the PIA.
The investments are expected to improve geological understanding of the country’s sedimentary basins, providing better information for exploration decisions and the identification of potential oil and gas resources.
Eyesan also highlighted measures to improve security across the oil and gas industry, including the Advanced Cargo Declaration programme and coordinated surveillance operations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), private security operators such as Tantita Security Services and the Nigerian Navy.
She said the Commission’s responsibility went beyond sanctioning errant operators and addressing vandalism, stressing that its broader objective was to establish an environment where legitimate oil production would be more profitable than crude oil theft.
