143 Firms Bid for 50 Oil and Gas Blocks in Nigeria

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced that 143 companies have submitted bids for 50 oil and gas blocks as part of the 2025 licensing round. The commercial bid conference is set to take place on July 21, 2026, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

The blocks available for bidding include 16 onshore in the Niger Delta, 18 shallow water in the Niger Delta, 1 onshore in the Benin Basin, 3 onshore in the Anambra Basin, 4 onshore in the Chad Basin, and 4 onshore in the Benu Trough. The bidding process will adhere to strict guidelines, including signature bonuses and work program commitments, with technical and commercial scores determining the winning bids.

The licensing round was first announced on November 11, 2025, and the bid portal was launched on December 1, 2025. The pre-bid conference is scheduled for January 14, 2026, with the prequalification evaluation closing on February 27, 2026, and completion expected by March 16, 2026.