The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has reported a modest rebound in Nigeria’s crude oil production, with output rising to 1.38 million barrels per day (bpd) in March 2026, according to its latest monthly oil market report released on Monday.
The figure represents an increase from the 1.31 million bpd recorded in February, translating to a 5.25 per cent month-on-month rise. The data, based on direct communication with Nigerian authorities, points to a gradual recovery in output despite persistent operational and market challenges.
However, Nigeria still fell short of its 1.5 million bpd production quota by about 117,000 bpd. Secondary sources cited by OPEC placed the country’s production slightly higher at 1.46 million bpd in March, up from 1.44 million bpd in February, underscoring ongoing discrepancies in reporting.
OPEC typically relies on both direct submissions from member countries and independent secondary sources to track production levels, often resulting in variations in reported figures.
Despite the shortfall, Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s largest oil producer, outperforming Libya, which recorded output of 1.30 million bpd during the period.
Overall, crude oil production across OPEC member countries averaged 35.06 million bpd in March, reflecting broader supply adjustments within the global oil market.
Recent figures from Nigerian authorities suggest even higher production levels. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission reported output at 1.84 million bpd in early April, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited put production at 1.71 million bpd.
These differences highlight variations in measurement methodologies and reporting timelines. As Nigeria continues efforts to ramp up production, narrowing the gap between actual output and its OPEC quota remains a key priority for the sector.
Meanwhile, OPEC data also showed significant volatility in overall supply. Crude oil production by the group dropped sharply by 27.5 per cent in March to 20.79 million bpd—one of the steepest declines in recent decades—after falling by 7.88 million bpd during the month.
The sharp drop comes against the backdrop of shifting global dynamics, even as key OPEC+ producers had begun gradually restoring previously curtailed output before the outbreak of conflict in late February.
