Nigeria's Oil Production Surges 20% Amid Drilling Activity Uptick

Nigeria's oil production has seen a significant increase in recent months, driven by an uptick in drilling activity. The country's rig count rose 20% in the first seven months of 2026, reaching 18 active rigs in July, up from 15 in January.

This surge in upstream activity comes after a sluggish 2025, when Nigeria averaged just 13 rigs for the year. According to data from OPEC's Monthly Oil Market Report, Nigerian production averaged 1.45 million barrels a day in the first quarter before climbing to 1.55 million barrels a day in the second.

The July output dipped 4% due to issues at Erha and Akpo fields, but it still cleared the OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels a day. Aisha Mohammed, an energy analyst at the Lagos-based Center for Development Studies, noted that this stretch of compliance is meaningful.