The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has pushed back against recent criticism of its leadership under Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, over the recently concluded oil licensing round, saying the company has recorded steady growth in crude oil and gas production.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, NNPC Ltd. said recent media commentary attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), questioning the performance of the company’s leadership, required clarification.
The company stressed that the conduct of oil licensing rounds and allocation of oil blocks are statutory responsibilities of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and not NNPC Ltd.
According to NNPC, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 places the responsibility for oil licensing rounds and oil block allocation squarely within the mandate of NUPRC.
NNPC Ltd. said it has, since its incorporation, operated strictly as a commercial entity and does not possess regulatory or allocative authority.
On crude oil production, the national oil company said publicly available data showed a sustained improvement under the current leadership.
It disclosed that average crude oil production stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd), inclusive of condensate, as of April 2025.
According to NNPC, output increased through the second half of 2025 and stabilised at 1.67mbpd, inclusive of condensate, by April 2026.
The company said the increase amounted to approximately 80,000 barrels per day, representing six per cent growth in crude oil production.
NNPC said the figures were documented in its Monthly Performance Report, which is publicly available.
The company also reported growth in gas production, saying average output increased from 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729mmscfd by April 2026.
It said the increase represented five per cent growth in gas production and reflected expanding output in support of Nigeria’s domestic energy security and export commitments.
The national oil company maintained that the production figures contained in its publicly available reports provided a basis for assessing its performance objectively.
While welcoming scrutiny of its operations and performance, NNPC said such scrutiny was consistent with the transparency and accountability it holds itself to.
It, however, urged industry commentators, analysts and professional associations to verify information through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before publishing claims concerning its operations or leadership.
The company said this would help ensure that public commentary remained factual, balanced and constructive, particularly on issues relating to Nigeria’s strategic energy sector.
NNPC Ltd. further stated that it remained committed to transparency and would continue to engage openly on matters concerning its performance and operations.
It nevertheless warned that it reserved the right to take necessary steps to protect the reputation of the company and its leadership against the publication of what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
