Nigeria has recorded a significant month-on-month increase in oil production, according to the latest OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report. In November 2025, the country produced 1.436 million barrels per day, up from 1.401 million barrels per day in October. This represents a gain of 35,000 barrels per day, the largest rise in recent months. Despite this increase, Nigeria’s production remains below its allocated quota of 1.5 million barrels per day.
The improvement in Nigeria’s oil production can be attributed to gradual enhancements in upstream security and project optimization across major producing terminals. However, the country has failed to meet its assigned quota for the fourth consecutive month, with the last time being in July 2025. Oil production in Nigeria had declined sharply in August and September due to maintenance downtime and industrial action but has shown a slight recovery in October and November.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, recently stated that Nigeria would push for a higher oil production quota, as the current quota of 1.5 million barrels per day no longer reflects the country’s true production capacity. Lokpobiri expressed that Nigeria would make a strong case for an upward review to at least two million barrels per day.
In the broader OPEC context, overall crude production was largely flat in November, rising by just 39,000 barrels per day to an estimated 25.17 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia, the largest producer in the group, recorded the biggest absolute increase, adding 48,000 barrels per day to reach 10.05 million barrels per day. Other notable changes included increases in Libya, Kuwait, and the UAE, while Iraq posted a significant drop in production.
Nigeria’s growth in oil production is a positive development, but the country still faces challenges in meeting its allocated quota. As the global energy landscape continues to evolve, Nigeria’s efforts to restore output and potentially revise its production quota will be closely watched. The country’s progress in this regard will have implications for its economy and the global oil market, making it an important trend to monitor in the coming months.