Lokpobiri Calls for Accountability in Nigeria's Oil Sector

Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, reviewed the progress of Nigeria's petroleum sector during a management retreat held in Abuja on June 10-11, 2026. The retreat, themed "Drive Institutional Performance in the Nigerian Petroleum Sector to Sustain National Development," aimed to strengthen performance accountability and attract investments.

Lokpobiri disclosed that Nigeria's crude oil production had increased to approximately 1.8 million barrels per day, with the number of active drilling rigs growing to 60 across various locations. He attributed these improvements to sector reforms that restored investor confidence and stabilized regulatory policies.

Despite these achievements, he stressed the need to sustain momentum and target crude oil production above 2.5 million barrels per day. The minister called for intensified exploration activities in frontier inland basins, including Anambra, Benue, and the Chad-Dahomey basin, to unlock untapped hydrocarbon resources.

The retreat also featured contributions from Patience Oyekunle and Kemi Ahm Yusuf, focusing on enhancing the ministry's capacity to deliver on its mandate.