NIGERIA · OIL AND GAS
Nigeria pumped an average of 1,687,710 barrels of crude oil and condensate (an ultra-light liquid that comes out with natural gas) a day in October 2026, 1.7% less than in September. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the state regulator of the oil and gas fields, published the figure on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
Key Facts
- Output Crude and condensate averaged 1,687,710 barrels a day in October 2026, down 1.7% from September.
- Year on year That is 5.7% above October 2025, when output averaged 1,597,199 barrels a day.
- OPEC limit Crude alone averaged 1.51 million barrels a day, 101% of Nigeria’s 1.5 million OPEC limit.
- Streak Sixth straight month at or above the OPEC limit, which counts crude only, not condensate.
- Range Daily output peaked at 1.79 million barrels and bottomed at 1.60 million.
Output slipped for the month but stayed well above last year, and crude alone cleared its OPEC limit again.
What Nigeria Pumped in October
Daily output averaged 1,687,710 barrels in October, against about 1.72 million in September, a fall of roughly 29,000 barrels a day. A year earlier, in October 2025, Nigeria produced 1,597,199 barrels a day, so the gain over the year is 90,511 barrels, or 5.7%.
Within the month, output peaked at 1.79 million barrels on the best day and dropped to 1.60 million on the weakest. The regulator credited steadier operations, longer uptime and more efficient crude evacuation, meaning the movement of oil from the fields to export terminals.
Crude Alone Clears the OPEC Quota
OPEC, the group of oil-producing countries that includes Nigeria, gives each member a limit on crude output called a quota. Nigeria’s is 1.5 million barrels a day, and condensate is not counted against it.
Crude alone averaged 1.51 million barrels a day in October, or 101% of the quota. By the regulator’s count that is the sixth month in a row at or above the limit, after 1.53 million in May, 1.55 million in June, 1.51 million in July, 1.50 million in August and 1.53 million in September.
Which Terminals Carried the Load
The Forcados terminal averaged 318,490 barrels a day, the most of any export point, followed by Bonny at 311,020. Qua Iboe loaded 173,970, Escravos 134,670 and the Bonga deepwater offshore field 106,650.
Forcados, Bonny, Qua Iboe and Escravos are terminals through which Nigerian oil leaves the country. The terminal figures are monthly averages as reported by the regulator.
What It Means for You
Nigerian oil is sold on world markets, so its monthly volume is one of the supply numbers that traders following OPEC from New York to Houston keep on their screens. With crude at 1.51 million barrels against a 1.5 million quota, there is almost no headroom: any further gain in crude would put Nigeria over its limit.
For background on the quota and the country, read our earlier reports on Nigeria’s oil output passing its quota and its 74-month high. Our guides to Nigeria’s economy and the country as a whole explain who runs the sector.
What Is Not Known
OPEC had not yet published its own October assessment of Nigerian output when the regulator released these figures, so there is no second series to compare against yet. The regulator’s statement gives no specific reason for the 1.7% dip from September.
It also does not say what caused the low of 1.60 million barrels on the weakest day. The next monthly figure, for November, will show whether output stays near the 1.7 million mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much oil did Nigeria produce in October 2026?
Nigeria produced 1,687,710 barrels a day of crude oil and condensate in October 2026, down 1.7% from September. That is 5.7% more than in October 2025.
Did Nigeria meet its OPEC quota in October?
Yes. Crude alone averaged 1.51 million barrels a day, 101% of the 1.5 million quota, the sixth month in a row at or above it.
What is condensate?
Condensate is an ultra-light liquid produced alongside natural gas. It counts in Nigeria’s total output but not against its OPEC crude quota.
Sources: Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), October 2026 production statement, 11 November 2026; NUPRC, Production Rises by 0.4% in August as Nigeria Meets OPEC Quota, NUPRC news release.
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