- Delta oil production reached nearly 100m barrels, securing its lead as Nigeria’s top producer.
- Experts say sustained Delta oil production requires investment, modern infrastructure, and stable regulatory frameworks.
Delta oil production has once again positioned the state as Nigeria’s leading oil producer, demonstrating its consistent strength in the petroleum industry. According to data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Delta recorded nearly 100 million barrels between November 2023 and September 2024.
During this 11-month period, the state delivered 99.9 million barrels of crude oil and condensates. This figure represented more than one-third of Nigeria’s total production of 295.34 million barrels. Clearly, Delta oil production remains central to the country’s hydrocarbon economy, despite ongoing challenges in other regions.
Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Rivers states followed Delta as key contributors. Akwa Ibom produced 60.32 million barrels, while Bayelsa delivered 53.2 million barrels. Rivers maintained its position with 50.83 million barrels. Collectively, these states provided almost 90 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude output.
In stark contrast, Lagos contributed no oil or gas within the same period. Although Lagos had earlier earned N3.9 billion in revenue from oil operations, disputes among asset owners stalled production. Regulatory figures also revealed that unresolved issues at OML 113 prevented further exploration and output in the state.
Gas production highlighted a slightly different dynamic. Rivers dominated with 391.3 billion standard cubic feet (scf), followed by Bayelsa with 341.2 billion scf. Delta recorded 318.2 billion scf, while Akwa Ibom contributed 211.9 billion scf. Edo, though smaller in scale, showed promise with 95.4 billion scf.
Overall, Nigeria produced 1.4 trillion scf of gas across the 11-month review. This volume demonstrated the dominance of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom, reinforcing their joint importance in Nigeria’s energy landscape.
The NUPRC stressed that improving infrastructure and encouraging fresh investment are essential to sustain output. Experts also warned that Nigeria risks underperforming if operational bottlenecks and community issues remain unresolved. For Delta, future growth depends on maintaining efficiency while embracing energy transition policies.