By Ambrose Nnaji
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has issued further clarifications on the ongoing 2025 oil and gas licensing round, stressing that only bidders with proven technical expertise and strong financial capacity will advance in the process.
The Commission’s Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this during the 2025 Licensing Round pre-bid webinar held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, noting that the exercise is designed to attract serious and capable investors for the 50 oil and gas blocks currently on offer.
According to Eyesan, the licensing process follows five clearly defined stages: registration and pre-qualification, data acquisition, technical bid submission, evaluation, and a commercial bid conference. She explained that only applicants that demonstrate professionalism, credible development plans, and robust technical and financial credentials will progress to the final stages.
“Winners will emerge through a transparent, merit-based process,” she said.
Eyesan further revealed that, with the approval of President Bola Tinubu, signature bonuses for the 2025 licensing round have been structured within a value range to reduce entry barriers for investors. She noted that the new approach places greater emphasis on technical capability, credible work programmes, financial strength, and the capacity to deliver production in the shortest possible time.
“This adjustment is aimed at increasing competitiveness and responding to capital mobility in the global energy market,” she stated.
Describing the licensing round as an open call for committed partners, Eyesan said Nigeria is seeking investors ready to deploy capital, apply technical excellence, and fast-track assets from licence award to exploration, appraisal, and full-scale production.
She reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to transparency, declaring that Nigeria is “ready to be the beautiful bride to capital and a playground for advanced technological deployment in hydrocarbon recovery.”
The NUPRC boss added that the 50 oil and gas blocks on offer are spread across Nigeria’s key basins, providing investors with opportunities to create long-term value across the upstream sector.
Eyesan also assured stakeholders that the bid process will strictly comply with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), leverage digital platforms for seamless data access, and remain subject to public and institutional oversight through the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other relevant agencies.
“The Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round is not merely a bidding exercise,” she said. “It is a clear signal of a re-imagined upstream sector—anchored in the rule of law, driven by data, aligned with global investment realities, and focused on long-term value creation.”
During the webinar, NUPRC subject matter experts provided detailed explanations on the licensing guidelines, model contracts, bid parameters, and evaluation criteria to help investors operate within a transparent, predictable framework designed to inspire confidence.
