Nigeria’s crude oil production increased to 1.38 million barrels per day in March 2026, according to the latest monthly oil market report released by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The figure, based on direct communication with Nigerian authorities, represents a 5.25 per cent rise from 1.31 million bpd recorded in February.
Secondary sources tracked by OPEC placed Nigeria’s output higher at 1.46 million bpd in March, up from 1.44 million bpd the previous month.
Despite the modest recovery, Nigeria remained below its assigned OPEC production quota of 1.5 million bpd by approximately 117,000 bpd.
The country maintained its position as Africa’s top oil producer in March, outperforming Libya which recorded 1.30 million bpd.
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OPEC noted that total crude output from member countries averaged 35.06 million bpd in March, representing a month-on-month decline of 7.70 million bpd across the alliance.
Variations in reported figures persist, with Nigerian authorities presenting higher production estimates.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission reported output at 1.84 million bpd in early April, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited later stated production stood at 1.71 million bpd.
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These differences highlight variations in reporting methodologies and timelines between domestic and international agencies.
Global crude supply was severely disrupted in March, with OPEC’s total output plunging by 27.5 per cent to 20.79 million bpd, marking one of the most significant supply shocks in decades.
The disruption followed the outbreak of war on February 28, which upended previously planned production increases by OPEC+ nations.
As Nigeria works to boost output, closing the gap between actual production and OPEC quotas remains a key priority for the oil sector.
