The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is strengthening transparency and competition in Nigeria’s oil and gas licensing process.
The Commission aims to improve accountability through clearer rules and competitive bidding. These measures align with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
Under the Act, licensing authorities must follow transparent and competitive procedures when awarding specified petroleum licences and leases.
On October 6, 2026, NUPRC announced Nigeria’s 2026 licensing round. The exercise offers 40 oil and gas blocks to qualified local and international investors.
The blocks cover onshore, shallow-water and deepwater areas. Through this round, the Commission hopes to attract investment and encourage further exploration.
NUPRC Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the new guidelines would improve disclosure of evaluation methods and results.
Additionally, the guidelines require bidders to disclose their beneficial owners. This measure helps identify the individuals and entities behind participating companies.
NUPRC says the reforms reflect recommendations from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
These recommendations seek to improve public access to licensing information. They also aim to strengthen accountability across the petroleum sector.
Furthermore, digital tools and published evaluation criteria can help the public monitor how officials assess bids. However, their impact depends on consistent implementation and access to relevant information.
The latest exercise builds on the 2025 licensing round. According to NUPRC, 143 companies submitted 200 bids during that process.
Following the evaluation, the Commission reported that 31 companies won 37 blocks.
These figures show substantial participation in the licensing exercise. Nevertheless, the number of bids alone does not prove that authorities have eliminated every form of discretionary decision-making.
NUPRC says competitive licensing can attract investment, expand exploration and support growth in Nigeria’s oil and gas production.
However, winning a block does not guarantee immediate production. Successful bidders must meet regulatory requirements, pay applicable signature bonuses and develop their assets in line with the law.
The move towards transparent, digitally supported bidding marks an important regulatory development. Even so, claims that all discretionary allocations have ended or that investor confidence has already returned require further evidence.
Ultimately, NUPRC aims to make licensing more predictable and accountable. Consistent enforcement of the rules will be essential to achieving that goal and ensuring that Nigeria benefits from its petroleum resources.
