Nigeria has once again fallen short of its crude oil production target set by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), despite a slight improvement in output for April.
According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the country recorded an average daily crude production of about 1.49 million barrels per day in April, slightly below its 1.5mbpd OPEC quota. When condensates are included, total output rose to approximately 1.66mbpd.
The report shows that production peaked at 1.85mbpd during the month, while the lowest daily output stood at about 1.46mbpd. Although this reflects a modest increase compared to March, Nigeria has still failed to meet its OPEC allocation for nine consecutive months since July 2025.
Officials had earlier suggested that production averaged around 1.8mbpd, but the latest figures contradict that claim, pointing instead to persistent underperformance in the upstream oil sector.
Nigeria’s crude output has been hampered for years by oil theft, pipeline vandalism, ageing infrastructure and underinvestment. While there has been gradual improvement in recent months, it remains insufficient to consistently meet production targets.
Earlier figures show fluctuating performance across 2025 and early 2026, with production rising and falling month by month. The country briefly exceeded its quota in some months, including January, but later slipped below target in subsequent periods.
Despite occasional recovery signals, Nigeria continues to struggle with stabilising output, as monthly production remains inconsistent and below expectations for a major oil-producing nation.
