- NUPRC has invited 143 qualified companies to the Commercial Bid Conference, marking the final phase of the 2025 oil and gas licensing round.
- Fifty oil and gas blocks across seven geological zones will be awarded based on technical and commercial evaluations.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has commenced the final phase of its 2025 oil and gas licensing round by inviting qualified companies to participate in the Commercial Bid Conference scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
The Commission will hold the closed-door conference at the Conference Centre of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, where only invited companies will participate in the final commercial bidding process.
NUPRC will offer 50 oil and gas blocks across seven geological zones. The available assets include 16 blocks in the Niger Delta Onshore, 18 blocks in the Niger Delta Shallow Waters, one block in the Niger Delta Deep Offshore, three blocks in the Benin Basin Onshore, four blocks in the Anambra Basin Onshore, four blocks in the Chad Basin Onshore and four blocks in the Benue Trough.
According to the Commission’s bidding framework, evaluators will determine successful bidders through a combined technical and commercial assessment. The evaluation will consider the signature bonus offered, proposed work programme commitments and evidence of performance security deposits.
The Commercial Bid Conference marks the culmination of a licensing process that began in November 2025 when NUPRC officially announced the 2025 Licensing Round in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
Furthermore, the Commission launched the online bid portal on December 1, 2025, to facilitate company registration. Subsequently, it held a Pre-Bid Conference on January 14, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos to guide registered bidders and stakeholders through the licensing process.
NUPRC closed registration and the submission of prequalification documents on February 27, 2026, before completing the prequalification review on March 16, 2026.
The licensing round attracted strong industry interest. Out of 286 companies that applied for prequalification, NUPRC approved 196 firms to proceed to the technical and commercial stages. Ultimately, 143 companies submitted a total of 200 bids for the available oil and gas blocks.
The Commission expects all 143 qualified bidders to participate in the Commercial Bid Conference, where it will review final commercial offers and determine the successful companies that will secure the exploration and production assets.