NUPRC approves 595 effectively re-entries, 145 new drilling operations, 39 discipline improvement plans in 10 months

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it has authorized about 595 effectively re-entries, 145 new well-drilling operations and 39 Field Development Plans (FDPs) thus far in 2026.

The Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed the figures on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, on the administration session of the forty fourth Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.

The convention theme is “Energy Security in an Era of Global Disruption: Positioning Nigeria for Resilience, Competitiveness, and Prosperity.”

Eyesan was represented by the Deputy Director, Basinal Administration, NUPRC, Ahmad Abdullahi, who mentioned the approvals have been a part of the Commission’s technique to make sure regulatory processes help manufacturing progress and vitality availability.

“As a commission, we have improved our approval time level, which again reduces costs that are being wasted or for projects to continue to wait for approval,” he mentioned.

The rising approvals, in accordance with the presentation, replicate enhancements within the Commission’s processes, which have shortened ready durations and diminished prices operators incur whereas tasks await clearance.

“From the regulator’s perspective, to ensure that our energy security is not threatened, we must ensure that we approve Field Development Plans and new well-drilling applications to meet our production targets,” the presentation acknowledged.

Nigeria has greater than 100 rigs, of which about 46 are actively drilling this yr. The NUPRC mentioned this represents a rise of greater than 300 % over the 2021 degree.

Seismic funding

The Commission attributed the advance to regulatory certainty, noting that buyers commit capital when they’re assured within the coverage and working surroundings.

It mentioned the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has strengthened confidence within the upstream sector, significantly in seismic information acquisition, which is crucial for figuring out new oil and fuel reserves.

According to the Commission, multi-client seismic firms have invested greater than $100 million in buying information in Nigeria because the PIA was enacted.

The investments are anticipated to enhance understanding of Nigeria’s sedimentary basins, inform exploration choices and help new hydrocarbon discoveries.

On safety, the Commission mentioned it had launched initiatives, together with the Advanced Cargo Declaration programme, and coordinated surveillance involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), non-public safety corporations akin to Tantita Security Services, and the Nigerian Navy.

Speaking on a panel on the session, Eyesan mentioned the Commission’s accountability goes past punishing errant operators and vandals. Its broader goal, she mentioned, is to create an surroundings the place respectable oil manufacturing is extra worthwhile than crude oil theft.