Nigeria Joins IEA as Association Country Amid Oil Production Growth

Nigeria has officially become an association country of the International Energy Agency (IEA), following approval from its governing board in June. This move makes Nigeria the fourth IEA association country in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal.

The IEA's Executive Director, Fatih Birol, met with Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo in Abuja in September to discuss the partnership. The first joint IEA-Nigeria work program will focus on energy security, investment, energy data and statistics, energy efficiency, and clean cooking solutions.

Nigeria's oil production has seen significant growth, with an average of 1.56 million barrels per day in June, the highest monthly figure since April 2020. The country's oil production regulatory commission attributes this growth to stable operations and a decrease in major pipeline incidents.