PORT HARCOURT – Nigeria has exceeded its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) crude oil production quota for the first time in years, recording an average daily output of 1.56 million barrels in June 2026, thanks to improved pipeline security operations.
The feat, driven by enhanced surveillance by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and other security agencies, saw the country produce about four per cent above its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels per day.
Figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that total oil production, including condensates, rose to 1.735 million barrels per day, making it Nigeria’s highest crude output since April 2020.
The June performance also marks the fourth consecutive month of production growth, signalling a steady recovery in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
According to the NUPRC, the improved output was made possible by stable production activities and the absence of major pipeline disruptions, following intensified surveillance and protection of critical oil infrastructure.
Since taking over surveillance of the eastern corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), PINL has adopted community-based pipeline protection strategies that have significantly reduced crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism while improving crude evacuation.
Head of Media and Corporate Communications at the NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, said Nigeria produced an average of 1.56 million barrels of crude oil daily in June, while condensate production averaged about 180,000 barrels per day, bringing total daily production to 1.735 million barrels.
He described the achievement as a major turnaround for Nigeria, which had struggled for years with crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, underinvestment and operational setbacks that kept production below its OPEC allocation.
Akinkuotu noted that improved operational stability and minimal pipeline infractions increased production uptime and evacuation efficiency, allowing operators to sustain higher output throughout the month.
He added that Nigeria’s combined crude oil and condensate production peaked at 1.89 million barrels per day during the period, while the lowest daily output stood at 1.57 million barrels.
The latest production figures bring Nigeria closer to the Federal Government’s target of producing two million barrels of crude oil daily.
Industry experts say maintaining production above OPEC’s quota could boost government revenue, increase foreign exchange earnings and strengthen investor confidence as efforts to secure oil assets and attract fresh investments continue.
