Nigeria’s oil sector has achieved a historic milestone, with crude oil losses dropping to their lowest level in nearly two decades, according to new data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Figures released on Thursday show that crude losses in July fell to 9,600 barrels per day (bpd)—the lowest since 2009, when losses stood at 8,500 bpd.
From January to July 2025, total crude losses amounted to 2.04 million barrels, averaging 9,600 bpd. This represents a 50.2% reduction compared to the entire 2024 calendar year, when 4.1 million barrels were lost at a daily average of 11,300 bpd.
The latest numbers mark a dramatic turnaround from 2021, when Nigeria recorded its highest losses in 23 years, with 37.6 million barrels lost at a daily average of 102,900 bpd. By comparison, losses have fallen by 94.57% in just four years.
The Commission attributed the progress to a mix of regulatory reforms, security collaboration, and strategic oversight since the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021.
Among the initiatives credited with reducing losses are comprehensive metering audits across upstream facilities and the approval of 37 new crude evacuation routes to counter oil theft.
“The consistent decline highlights the effectiveness of both kinetic and non-kinetic measures in tackling systemic issues,” NUPRC said in a statement.
