Refineries Received 127 Million Barrels Of Crude In Nine Months — NUPRC

Domestic refineries in Nigeria received more than 127 million barrels of crude oil and condensate between January and September 2026, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed.

The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, announced the figures on Monday, October 26, at the OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week 2026 in Lagos. She was represented at the event by Prosper Omonedo, Assistant Director of Operations at the commission.

Eyesan said deliveries improved following the regulator’s intervention in commercial disagreements between crude oil producers and domestic refiners that disrupted supplies during the first quarter of the year.

According to her, local refineries received 53.7 million barrels in the second quarter and 45.1 million barrels in the third quarter. The deliveries represented supply performance rates of 97.4 per cent and 76.2 per cent, respectively, against the volumes allocated.

The development reflects efforts to implement the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation established under Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. The provision requires the regulator to facilitate crude supply to domestic refineries, supporting local processing and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.

Despite the improvement in deliveries, disagreements over pricing, payment arrangements and supply terms have continued to pose challenges for refiners seeking access to Nigerian crude.

To address transportation costs, the NUPRC is consulting producers, refiners and other stakeholders on a proposed domestic crude swap framework.

Under the arrangement, a refinery could receive suitable crude from a nearby production or export point instead of transporting an allocated grade over long distances. Eyesan said the proposal could reduce logistics costs by an estimated three to four dollars per barrel, depending on implementation.

The commission also reported an improvement in national production. Nigeria’s average crude oil and condensate output reached 1.717 million barrels per day in September, representing a 2.34 per cent increase from August. Crude oil production alone averaged 1.53 million barrels per day.

Eyesan attributed the improvement to stronger asset maintenance, better security around evacuation infrastructure, collaboration with industry operators and efforts to restore previously shut-in production.

She added that the commission was pursuing transparency in the 2026 oil licensing round, with 40 blocks offered for evaluation and mandatory disclosure of beneficial ownership.

The NUPRC said it would continue working with industry stakeholders to align crude supply with refinery demand and ensure that improvements in production translate into benefits for consumers, businesses and the wider economy.