143 companies submit 200 bids in NUPRC 2025 licensing round 

By Onu Okorie

A total of 143 companies have submitted 200 bids in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s NUPRC 2025 Licensing Round and are set to participate in the Commercial Bid Conference scheduled for July 21, 2026, marking a critical stage in the allocation of 50 oil and gas blocks across the country.

The Commission said only companies that successfully scaled its prequalification process have been invited to the conference, which will be held at the Conference Centre of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, with attendance restricted to invited participants.

The commercial bid conference follows the completion of the prequalification exercise in which 196 firms emerged successful out of 286 companies that initially submitted applications. Of those prequalified, 143 companies proceeded to submit a total of 200 commercial bids for the available assets.

The 2025 Licensing Round covers 50 oil and gas blocks distributed across Nigeria’s major sedimentary basins. These comprise 16 blocks in the Niger Delta Onshore, 18 in the Niger Delta Shallow Water, one in the Niger Delta Deep Offshore, three in the Benin Basin Onshore, four in the Anambra Basin Onshore, four in the Chad Basin Onshore, and four in the Benue Trough.

According to the Commission’s bidding guidelines, successful bidders will be determined using a weighted evaluation system that combines both technical and commercial considerations. The assessment will focus on three major criteria: the signature bonus offered, the proposed work programme commitment, and the bidder’s commitment to performance security.

The licensing exercise was launched on November 11, 2025, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, and was widely publicised to attract qualified investors.

The bid registration portal opened on December 1, 2025, while a pre-bid conference was held on January 14, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos to acquaint prospective bidders with the rules and procedures guiding the exercise.

Registration and submission of prequalification documents closed on February 27, 2026, with the Commission completing the evaluation process by March 16, 2026.

The commercial bid conference is expected to pave the way for the next phase of the licensing round, as the NUPRC continues efforts to attract investment into Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, expand exploration activities, and unlock the country’s hydrocarbon resources in line with ongoing industry reforms.