Focus on Niger Delta Fallow Assets and Gas Development.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has confirmed that the 2025 Licensing Round will officially begin on December 1, 2025, following approval from the Minister of Petroleum Resources in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, made the announcement during the “Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum” in London on November 11. He emphasised that the round builds on the transparency successes of 2024 and will prioritise:
- Reviving idle and fallow oil/gas fields, many located in the Niger Delta (onshore, continental shelf, and deep offshore).
- Natural gas-rich assets to align with Nigeria’s decarbonisation and energy transition commitments.
- Attracting new investment to help achieve an additional 1 million barrels per day in national production.
While the exact number and identities of blocks remain to be published in the coming days, the Commission has previously indicated that Nigeria has over 200 open/fallow blocks nationwide, with a significant portion in the Niger Delta basin.
Niger Delta Angle & Community Reactions
- Civic groups and indigenes have welcomed the upcoming round as an opportunity for greater local participation and resource control.
- A Bayelsa-based advocacy group, Safe and Better Nigeria (SBN), yesterday urged Governor Douye Diri and other Niger Delta governors to proactively position indigenous firms to bid competitively.
- Ijaw and other host-community stakeholders continue to push for preferential rights or special allocations under the PIA’s host-community provisions.
Key Sources (All Published Nov 11–19, 2025)
- NUPRC official statements & website
- Energy Capital & Power, Oil Review Africa, CNBC Africa, Zawya, Naija News
- X posts from verified accounts confirming the December 1 start date
The guidelines, pre-qualification criteria, and final block list are expected to be uploaded to www.nuprc.gov.ng shortly before December 1.
