The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that the registration and submission period for Pre-Qualification applications under the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27. The directive, contained in a statement signed by the commission’s management, aligns with Section 11.2 of the published Licensing Round Guidelines. The NUPRC emphasized that all prospective applicants must adhere strictly to the specified submission requirements within the prescribed timeline to be considered.
This deadline marks a critical milestone in the federal government’s strategy to rejuvenate the nation’s hydrocarbon sector. The licensing round, which officially commenced on December 1, 2024, is a central component of efforts to attract fresh investment, augment national reserves, and stimulate production. The commission is offering a total of 50 oil and gas blocks, categorized as 15 onshore, 19 shallow-water, 15 frontier acreages, and one deep offshore block. The portfolio is designed to span diverse geological and operational environments to broaden exploration activity.
The overarching objectives of the 2025 Licensing Round are substantial. The NUPRC projects the bid process could attract between $10 billion and $15 billion in new investment and aims to add up to two billion barrels to Nigeria’s proven oil reserves over the next decade. Beyond reserves, the round is expected to boost overall production, create employment, and contribute to greater stability in the national currency by increasing foreign exchange inflows from the sector.
The commission outlined a structured, two-stage bidding process expected to last approximately six months. The first stage, Qualification, requires companies to demonstrate technical competence, financial capacity, and operational integrity. Those who pass this stage will proceed to the second stage, Bid, where commercial offers for the blocks will be evaluated. This phased approach is intended to ensure that only qualified entities enter the final bidding phase, thereby de-risking the award process.
The impending pre-qualification deadline underscores the urgency for interested companies to complete their documentation. By setting a firm cutoff, the NUPRC aims to maintain a predictable and orderly timeline for the subsequent qualification review and bid stages. The successful conclusion of this licensing round is viewed as pivotal for Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda, as it seeks to leverage its vast petroleum resources to drive sustainable growth and development in the coming years.
