PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (XOL Africa) — NNPC Ltd. has distanced its management from the recently concluded oil licensing round, saying the company has no regulatory or allocative powers under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The company also defended its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, against criticism of his performance, citing increases in crude oil and gas production since he assumed office.
The clarification followed media reports attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum, or OGPF, which questioned NNPC’s leadership over the licensing round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, or NUPRC.
In a statement signed by NNPC Communications Officer Andy Odeh, the company said responsibility for conducting licensing rounds and allocating oil blocks rests solely with NUPRC.
“Under the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, 2021, the conduct of oil licensing rounds and the allocation of oil blocks fall squarely within the statutory mandate of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC,” NNPC said.
“NNPC Limited, since its incorporation, has operated strictly as a commercial entity and holds no regulatory or allocative authority.”
The company also rejected claims that its current leadership had overseen declining production, saying output had increased during Ojulari’s tenure.
NNPC said average crude oil production, including condensate, rose to 1.67 million barrels per day in April 2026 from 1.60 million barrels per day in April 2025.
The increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represented growth of roughly 6%, the company said.
Gas production also rose to an average of 7,729 million standard cubic feet per day in April 2026 from 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day a year earlier, an increase of about 5%.
NNPC said the figures were contained in its publicly available monthly performance reports.
The company said the production gains demonstrated progress in its transformation into a commercially driven and globally competitive energy company, with increased gas output supporting domestic energy security and export commitments.
While saying it welcomed scrutiny of its operations, NNPC cautioned industry commentators and professional associations against making what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to operating with transparency and will continue to engage openly on matters concerning the Company’s performance and operations,” it said.
The company added that it “reserves the right to take necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of its leadership against publication of false or unsubstantiated claims.”
NNPC urged analysts, commentators and professional associations to verify information through relevant regulatory and corporate channels before making public statements about its operations.
“This will help ensure that public commentary is factual, balanced, and contributes constructively to informed discourse on the Nigerian energy sector,” the company said.
NNPC maintained that its production gains, rather than the outcome of a licensing exercise outside its statutory mandate, should form the basis for assessing the performance of its current leadership.
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