The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) urges the involvement of third-party operators to reactivate idle oil and gas assets across the country, aiming to boost crude oil production and unlock underutilized resources.
Udobong Ntia, NNPCL’s Executive Vice President of Upstream, makes this recommendation during the Heirs Energies Leadership Forum 2025 – Industry Leadership Discourse. The forum brings together industry leaders, regulators, government officials, and key stakeholders to discuss strategies for achieving Nigeria’s energy independence.
Key Challenges Affecting Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector
Ntia highlights three primary issues hindering growth in the sector:
- Contracting delays
- Aging infrastructure
- Security concerns
While government funding has improved, he warns that lengthy contract negotiations often increase costs and slow progress. Ntia emphasizes the need for collaboration, suggesting that third-party operators could help bring idle assets back into production while allowing asset owners to maintain operational oversight.
“There’s no point holding onto assets without the capital or readiness to produce. Let’s bring in third-party operators who can activate these fields and drive production,” Ntia advises.
Ntia stresses the importance of sharing technology and working together to meet Nigeria’s production target of nearly 2 million barrels per day (bpd) set by industry regulators.
“Collaboration is essential,” Ntia states. “Operators should focus on their strengths, and where resources or capital are lacking, third parties can step in to operate on a cost-revenue basis.”
Challenges Facing Nigeria’s Production Targets
President Bola Tinubu pledges to raise Nigeria’s crude oil production from under 1.5 million bpd to over 2 million bpd by 2025. However, some industry experts express skepticism about reaching this target due to persistent issues, including crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and the gradual exit of International Oil Companies (IOCs) from onshore operations.
As of November 2024, Nigeria’s crude oil output drops slightly from 1.54 million bpd in September to 1.53 million bpd in October.
Ntia believes fostering partnerships, enabling third-party operators to develop dormant assets, and resolving operational challenges will unlock Nigeria’s full oil production potential. This collaborative strategy could drive economic growth and secure a more stable energy future for the country.
 urges the involvement of third-party operators to reactivate idle oil and gas assets across the country, aiming to boost crude oil production and unlock underutilized resources.){kind=link}