The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is turning to artificial intelligence and “digital mining” of legacy data to achieve its ambitious target of 3 million barrels per day (bpd) crude production by 2030.
Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, disclosed the strategy at the 2026 Oloibiri Lecture and Energy Forum in Abuja, noting that adopting AI is now critical for competitiveness in the global oil industry. He was represented by the company’s upstream executive vice-president, Udobong Ntia.
NNPC said Nigeria holds vast volumes of underutilised data dating back to its first commercial oil discovery in 1956. Much of this information, stored in paper logs and unprocessed seismic records, remains untapped.
According to Ojulari, applying AI to mine and analyse this data could significantly reduce costs, improve decision-making, and unlock new production opportunities.
To reach the 3m bpd target, NNPC is implementing a three-stage strategy:
- Protecting existing assets: Strengthening infrastructure and improving maintenance to eliminate ageing facilities.
- Accelerating near-term growth: Deploying innovative financing and commercial models to fast-track mature projects.
- Expanding the portfolio: Opening up opportunities for new players and investments through a more stable policy environment.
The company revealed that recent sector reforms have already attracted about $34 billion in new investment commitments. Of this, $24 billion comes from two major projects that have now reached final investment decision, while an additional $10 billion is expected from the Owowo and Bosi fields.
Also speaking, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), said Nigeria has the technical capacity to deliver on these ambitions but must focus on execution. He described the Petroleum Industry Act as a game-changer for attracting investment into both oil and gas development.
With AI at the centre of its strategy, NNPC is betting on technology to boost efficiency, cut costs, and unlock new production as it pushes toward its 2030 output goal.
