Sahara Group, one of Africa’s foremost energy and infrastructure conglomerates, has unveiled plans to scale its upstream crude oil production to 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) within the next five years.
The expansion, according to Leste Aihevba, Chief Technical Officer of Asharami Energy, Sahara Group’s upstream subsidiary, will be driven by enhanced exploration and production capacity, strategic infrastructure investments, and the acquisition of seven brand-new oil rigs to accelerate operations and improve production efficiency.
Aihevba made the disclosure during a strategic session with investors and stakeholders on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Week in Cape Town, emphasizing that Africa’s energy advancement requires regional cooperation and shared innovation.
“The journey towards a secure and sustainable energy future for Africa cannot be travelled in silos. Every refinery upgrade, gas commercialization project, power reform, and community development initiative must align with a broader continental blueprint,” he said.
He noted that Sahara Group’s ongoing infrastructure drive is transforming its operations and enhancing competitiveness across Africa’s energy value chain.
“We have expanded our reserves development and production capacity with the acquisition of seven rigs for both drilling and workover operations. This bold and strategic step supports our vision to accelerate the transition from exploration to production, deepen local content participation, and unlock Africa’s vast energy potential responsibly,” Aihevba added.
Boosting Production Capacity
Sahara Group confirmed that the new rigs will strengthen exploration and production across its assets in Nigeria and other strategic locations. The company aims to reach 350,000 bpd of crude oil and 1 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMScf/d) in Nigeria within five years.
Of the seven newly acquired rigs, two have already arrived in Nigeria, with two more expected before the end of the year. One of them, a state-of-the-art 2000 HP land rig named L-Buba, has commenced operations by spudding a gas development well in one of Sahara’s fields, while another rig is being mobilized for an oil development project. All rigs will be managed by Arahas Global Oilfield Services, a Sahara Group subsidiary.
“By pairing our infrastructure investments with world-class talent, cross-border partnerships, and localized technical expertise, we are advancing Africa’s energy transition responsibly—ensuring no community is left behind,” Aihevba said.
According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria’s crude oil production rose by 5.5% year-on-year in August 2025, averaging 1.43 million bpd, up from 1.36 million bpd a year earlier—achieving 96% of its OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd.
The announcement follows Sahara Group’s recent milestone in the power sector, where its Afam 2 Power Plant in Rivers State began generating 160 megawatts (MW) into Nigeria’s national grid.
