The notice read, “The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission wishes to inform the public that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified successful pre-qualified applicants accordingly. “This was done on March 16, 2026, in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines. The 2025 oil licensing round was formally launched in December 2025 following approval by President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to attract fresh investment into the country’s upstream petroleum sector. The bid round offers 50 oil and gas blocks located across several sedimentary basins, including the Niger Delta, Anambra, Bida, Benue Trough, and Chad basins, to boost exploration activity, increase reserves, and support long-term crude production growth. The latest development indicates that the 2025 round is progressing on schedule, with the next phase expected to culminate in the submission of technical and commercial bids, followed by evaluation and eventual award of oil blocks.

Source: Punch March 17, 2026 07:46 UTC