The Nigerian Upstream
Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has provided further clarification for
the ongoing licensing round, especially for bidders interested in the 50 oil
and gas blocks on offer.
According to the
Commission's Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, only applicants with
strong technical and financial credentials will proceed to the critical stage
of the bidding process.
Eyesan said this at
the 2025 licensing round pre-bid webinar on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
She said, “The
process follows five steps: registration and pre-qualification, data
acquisition, technical bid submission, evaluation, and a commercial bid
conference.
“Only candidates with
strong technical and financial credentials, professionalism, and credible plans
move forward. Winners are chosen through a transparent, merit-based procedure.”
The NUPRC boss noted
that with the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, signature
bonuses for the 2025 licensing round are now set within a value range that
reduces entry barriers and places greater weight on what truly matters:
technical capability, credible work programs, financial strength, and the
ability to deliver production within the shortest possible time.
“This has been done
to increase competitiveness and in response to capital mobility,” the CCE
stated.
Eyesan described the
licensing round as an open call for committed partners; those ready to invest
capital, bring technical excellence, and accelerate Nigeria’s assets from
license award to exploration, appraisal, and ultimately, full production.
The NUPRC boss
restated the Commission’s commitment to a transparent licensing round,
insisting that Nigeria is “ready to be the beautiful bride to capital and
playroom for advanced technological deployment for hydrocarbon recovery.”
She added, “In this
licensing round, 50 oil and gas blocks across Nigeria are available, allowing
investors to access the country's key basins and create long-term value.”
Eyesan further
assured the public that the bid process will comply with the Petroleum Industry
Act, promote the use of digital tools for smooth data access and remain open to
public and institutional scrutiny through the Nigeria Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other oversight agencies.
“Let me emphasize
that the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round is not merely a bidding exercise. It is a
clear signal of a re-imagined upstream sector, anchored in the rule of law,
driven by data, aligned with global investment realities, and focused on
long-term value creation,” the NUPRC boss said.
During the webinar,
subject matter experts from the NUPRC explained the guidelines, model
contracts, bid parameters, and evaluation criteria in order to help investors
navigate uncertainty and operate within a framework that is transparent,
predictable, and deliberately designed to inspire confidence.
Eniola
Akinkuotu
Head,
Media and Strategic Communication
