The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed recent claims questioning the performance of its leadership in relation to the recently concluded oil licensing round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The company, in a statement, said the licensing round was conducted within the statutory mandate of the NUPRC, stressing that NNPC Ltd. had no regulatory or allocative authority over the process.
The clarification followed media reports attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), which reportedly raised concerns about the performance of the company’s leadership under its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bayo Ojulari.
NNPC Ltd said it welcomed scrutiny of its operations but urged industry commentators and professional bodies to verify claims through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels.
On crude oil production, the company said available data showed sustained improvement in output under the current leadership.
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It said average crude oil production, inclusive of condensate, stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) in April 2025, rising to 1.67 mbpd by April 2026.
According to NNPC Ltd, the increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represents approximately six per cent growth in production.
The company also reported an increase in gas production during the same period.
It said gas output rose from an average of 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd by April 2026, representing about five per cent growth.
NNPC Ltd said the figures were contained in its publicly available Monthly Performance Reports.
The company maintained that the growth in oil and gas production was consistent with its transformation into a commercially driven and globally competitive energy company.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, while cautioning against the publication of what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims about its operations and leadership.
NNPC Ltd said factual and balanced public commentary would contribute to a better understanding of developments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
