The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced Wednesday that the registration and submission of applications for pre-qualification under the Nigeria 2025 licensing round will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, 27 February, 2026.
The NUPRC in a statement signed by its management said this is in accordance with Section 11.2 of the licensing round guidelines.
“All Applicants are advised to ensure full compliance with the stipulated submission requirements within the prescribed timeline,” the NUPRC said.
A licensing round is a process by which the government grants oil and gas exploration and production rights to companies through a competitive bidding process.
Last December, the NUPRC opened bidding for 50 oil and gas blocks, aiming to attract $10 billion in investment.
Of these 50 blocks, the commission said 15 are onshore assets, 19 are shallow water assets, 15 are frontier assets, and one is a deep water asset.
At the time, the commission said the bidding would add 2 billion barrels of oil output over the next decade, with an estimated 400,000 barrels per day of production volumes when the blocks are fully operational.
The commission also stated that the 2025 block licensing round would last for approximately six months, noting that it has adopted a two-stage bidding process for the award of the blocks, comprising a qualification stage and a bid stage.
READ ALSO: NUPRC invites global investors to 2025 licensing round
Earlier in February, the NUPRC urged global investors to capitalise on opportunities in Nigeria’s 2025 licensing round.
Speaking at the opening of the 10th Anniversary of the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2026 in Lagos, at the time, the commission’s Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the licensing round is designed to unlock Nigeria’s upstream potential under a more predictable and investor-friendly regulatory framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
She added that Nigeria is leveraging the momentum of renewed global interest in Africa’s hydrocarbons to attract credible investors into its upstream sector.
“To facilitate resource access, Nigeria has launched the 2025 licensing round, offering 50 oil and gas blocks across various terrains.
“This initiative reflects a targeted approach to responsible resource development. We invite capable investors to participate and help realise Nigeria’s promising upstream potential,” she said.
