The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that submission of technical and commercial bids for the 2025 oil licensing round will close on Friday, June 12, 2026.
The Commission made this known in a statement released on Tuesday, June 9, via its official X handle, stressing that the move is in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines.
It said all pre-qualified applicants must complete and upload their bid documents before the licensing round portal closes at 4:30 pm on Friday.
“The NUPRC hereby notifies the general public that submission of technical and commercial bids by prequalified applicants for the 2025 Licensing Round closes on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 16.30 hours (WAT) in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines,” the Commission stated.
The closure of submission marks the end of the bid preparation phase, which began on March 17, 2026, after the conclusion of the pre-qualification stage.
It would be recalled that NUPRC officially launched the 2025 Licensing Round on December 1, 2025, when it opened its dedicated bid portal. It subsequently organised a pre-bid conference in Lagos where the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri and leaders of the Commission gave highlights of the licensing round activities, emphasising the technical competence and financial capacity of applicants.
They also stressed that the digital system enhances transparency and efficiency of the bidding process.
NUPRC completed the pre-qualification stage in March and announced that successful applicants were notified.
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The Commission announced that 50 oil and gas blocks were on offer, adding that the exercise is targeted at attracting about $10 billion in investment in the industry.
The portfolio included 15 onshore blocks, 19 shallow-water blocks, 15 frontier blocks and one deep-water block.
The upstream regulator estimates that the exercise, which is the second since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, would unlock about 2 billion barrels of oil over the next decade and potentially add around 400,000 barrels per day when fully developed
The Commission Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, had at different events stressed that the exercise would to ramp up Nigeria’s crude production, currently below output targets.
Victor Ezeja is a Nigerian journalist skilled in producing insightful news analyses, feature stories, and interviews that simplify complex issues and drive informed public discourse. His work combines rigorous research, balanced reporting, and compelling storytelling to highlight developments shaping industries and society. Victor, who holds a Master's Degree in Mass Communication, specializes in energy, aviation, business, and economic reporting. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X