Nigeria’s oil and gas industry recorded an estimated 42.55 million barrels of deferred crude oil and condensate in 2025, with the affected production valued at approximately 2.97 billion dollars.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) disclosed this in its 2025 annual report, attributing the production deferment largely to pipeline outages, terminal disruptions, equipment failures and scheduled maintenance.

According to the report, an average of 116,563 barrels of crude oil and condensate per day could not be produced or evacuated as scheduled due to operational and infrastructure challenges.

A breakdown of the monthly figures showed that October recorded the highest daily production deferment at 172,761 barrels, followed by March with 169,856 barrels and December with 169,786 barrels.

July recorded the lowest figure at 25,780 barrels per day.

The October figure was 146,981 barrels higher than July’s, representing an increase of about 570 per cent and highlighting the scale of production disruptions during the year.

The estimated 2.97 billion dollars was calculated using the monthly average prices of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude grade against the corresponding volumes of deferred production.

United Capital’s 2025 Economic Review and 2026 Outlook put the average price of Bonny Light at 70.88 dollars per barrel in 2025, compared with 82.40 dollars in 2024, representing a 14 per cent decline.

However, the estimated value represents the indicative gross market worth of the deferred barrels and should not be interpreted as confirmed revenue lost by the Federal Government or oil companies, as some of the affected production could be recovered subsequently.

The NUPRC identified outages on major oil transportation infrastructure, particularly the Trans Niger Pipeline, Nembe Creek Trunk Line and Trans Forcados Pipeline, as the most prevalent causes of production deferment.

The commission also cited technical and operational challenges, planned maintenance and delays in vessel and tanker loading at terminals, which sometimes forced operators to shut in producing wells.

The report stated that pipeline outages remained the leading cause of deferment, while operational difficulties and terminal-related disruptions also contributed significantly to the situation.

The development highlights the persistent infrastructure and operational challenges confronting Nigeria’s efforts to increase crude oil production, boost exports and maximise revenue from its petroleum resources.

It also underscores the need for improved pipeline infrastructure, efficient terminal operations and timely maintenance to minimise production disruptions and strengthen the country’s oil revenue base.