The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has shortlisted bidders for Nigeria’s 2025 oil and gas licensing round.
The NUPRC on Tuesday announced the completion of the pre-qualification process and formally notified successful applicants, in a move that signals the transition from screening to competitive bidding.
The notice was signed by the Head of Media and Strategic Communication, Eniola Akinkuotu.
What they are saying
In the statement, the commission announced that the milestone, achieved on March 16, 2026, marks the completion of the initial screening phase conducted in accordance with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines and sets the stage for the next phase of the exercise.
The NUPRC confirmed that only applicants who scaled the pre-qualification hurdle would proceed to access the subsurface data required for bid preparation.
- “The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission wishes to inform the public that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified successful pre-qualified applicants accordingly.
- “This was done on March 16, 2026, in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines.
- “With the pre-qualification stage now completed, the Commission will, from today, March 17, 2026, permit successful applicants to lease data in preparation for the technical and commercial bid submissions,” the statement said.
The regulator stressed that access to credible geological and geophysical data would be strictly controlled, underscoring its push for transparency and standardisation in the bid process.
The commission said pre-qualified applicants are required to obtain data exclusively from the two approved sources (where applicable) and must upload proof of payment as a condition for submitting their bids.
Backstory
In January, the NUPRC, at the opening of 50 oil and gas blocks across five sedimentary basins for bidding and exploration in the 2025 licensing round, said it had reduced the signature bonus for the round to between $3 million and $7 million.
- The new bonus, which had presidential approval, is a reduction from the $10 million paid in 2024 and a significant drop from the approximately $200 million required some years ago.
- This was made known by the Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, during the 2025 licensing round pre-bid webinar on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, where the regulator outlined the framework, evaluation criteria, and commercial terms guiding the bid process.
A total of 50 oil and gas blocks, including 15 onshore, 19 shallow-water assets, 15 frontier basins, and one deepwater block, are being offered in the delayed 2025 licensing round.
What you should know
The NUPRC had in December 2025 officially launched the 2025 Licensing Round, introducing a digital bid portal as the country moves to deepen investment and strengthen activities in the upstream sector.
- The Chief Executive of the commission, Gbenga Komolafe, said the portal was developed to expand investment opportunities, improve transparency, and deepen exploration across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.
- He recalled recent licensing initiatives, including the 2022 Mini-Bid Round and the 2024 Licensing Round, which he described as highly transparent and globally competitive.
According to him, the 2024 Licensing Round concluded without litigation and received commendations from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and other stakeholders.
