Nigeria’s Oil Production Falls 4% in July, but Still Beats OPEC Quota
Nigeria’s crude oil production fell by about 4 per cent in July 2026, according to the latest figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The country produced an average of 1.505 million barrels of crude oil per day (mbpd) in July, down from 1.565 million barrels per day in June. When condensates are included, total production stood at 1.67 million barrels per day.
Despite the decline, Nigeria still exceeded its OPEC production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day, marking the third consecutive month the country has met or surpassed its quota.
The July decline represents the first setback after several months of rising output. Combined crude and condensate production had climbed from 1.459 million barrels per day in January to 1.735 million barrels per day in June, before falling to 1.67 million barrels per day in July.
NUPRC attributed the July drop mainly to operational challenges at the Erha and Akpo oil fields, which affected production during the month.
What this means for Nigerians
For Nigeria, oil production remains crucial because crude oil revenues are a major source of government income and foreign exchange. So, while exceeding the OPEC quota is positive, the monthly decline highlights the importance of maintaining oil facilities and preventing operational disruptions.
Interestingly, July's combined output was still about 14.5 per cent higher than January's level, showing that the broader production trend remains significantly better than at the start of the year.