The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has moved Nigeria’s 2025 oil and gas licensing round into a new phase after completing the pre-qualification stage and notifying successful applicants. This milestone, reached on March 16, 2026, marks the end of initial screening and the transition to competitive bidding.
Only companies that passed the pre-qualification process will now gain access to essential geological and geophysical data needed to prepare their bids. From March 17, 2026, these applicants can begin leasing the required data, with proof of payment mandatory before submitting technical and commercial bids. The Commission emphasized strict control over data access to promote transparency, discourage speculative participation, and ensure that only serious, capable investors proceed.
The entire process will be managed through a digital platform to improve efficiency and accountability. The licensing round, approved by Bola Tinubu and launched in December 2025, offers 50 oil and gas blocks across key basins such as the Niger Delta, Anambra, Bida, Benue Trough, and Chad.
With pre-qualification concluded and the submission window already closed in February 2026, the exercise is progressing as planned. The next steps involve bid submissions, evaluations, and ultimately, the award of oil blocks, making this one of Nigeria’s most significant upstream investment opportunities in recent years.
