Nigeria's crude oil production has surged to 1.84 million barrels per day, a milestone that drew strong praise from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun.
The Finance Minister issued the commendation during a meeting at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja on April 2, 2026, when the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, paid a courtesy visit.
Edun described the production figure as "fantastic news," affirming that the achievement aligned squarely with the administration's directive to boost domestic output. "It is heartening that you can tell us that you are doing 1.84 million barrels per day. That is totally in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu," he stated.
The Minister acknowledged the earlier production setback in February, which he attributed to operational disruptions at strategic facilities alongside scheduled turnaround maintenance activities. However, he emphasized that the recovery demonstrated the sector's underlying resilience.
Beyond celebrating the current output level, Edun challenged the NUPRC to press forward toward the 2 million barrels per day threshold. "What matters is not just reaching certain heights but sustaining it. We don't want any stopping along the way. The trajectory should be maintained and of course the magic figure is 2mbpd," he declared.
The Finance Minister also referenced the broader geopolitical landscape, noting that the administration had pursued increased production targets well before the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
For her part, the NUPRC chief executive acknowledged the 1.84 million barrel milestone while expressing confidence in further progress. She confirmed that the February production decline had been fully addressed, with operations restored and output ramping up as expected.
Regarding future growth, Eyesan indicated that the 2025 licensing round had advanced into the technical and financial evaluation stage, a development expected to expand the nation's productive capacity in the coming years.