Thirty-one companies have emerged as winners of 37 oil and gas blocks in Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round, with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) revealing that the exercise was concluded despite what it described as sustained threats and external pressure targeted at members of its evaluation team.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the commission, which said the successful bidders were selected after a rigorous and transparent assessment process designed to strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.
According to the NUPRC, attempts were made to influence the outcome of the licensing exercise through intimidation and pressure on officials involved in evaluating bids. However, the commission insisted that the integrity of the process was not compromised.
It said the licensing round was conducted in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), reaffirming its commitment to transparency, fairness and accountability in the allocation of the country’s oil and gas assets.
The commission added that the successful companies would now proceed to the next phase of the award process, subject to the fulfilment of all regulatory and financial obligations.
The 2025 Licensing Round is part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to attract fresh investment into the oil and gas industry, increase exploration activities and boost production, as the government seeks to maximise the value of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.
