Nigeria is set to launch its 2026 oil licensing round in the third quarter of the year, following ministerial approval, as the country’s upstream regulator moves to sustain investor interest and maintain the momentum generated by recent policy reforms in Africa’s top oil-producing nation.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission announced the plan, with Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan confirming that the commercial bid phase of this year’s round will take place in July, with the 2026 round to follow shortly thereafter. The back-to-back sequencing is a deliberate strategy to ensure a continuous pipeline of investment opportunities and signal to the global market that Nigeria is open and competitive for upstream capital.
Eyesan noted that rising investment and increasing oil output are already pointing to a more attractive sector following recent policy moves designed to stabilise operations and draw in fresh capital. Nigeria also lowered entry barriers for the latest licensing round to broaden the pool of prospective investors and ensure the process is as accessible as possible to both established operators and new market entrants.
Source: orientalnewsng.com