NUPRC Guarantees Open, Merit-Driven Process for Nigeria’s 50 Oil Blocks Bid Round

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring a transparent and merit-based bidding process for the upcoming 2025 Oil Licensing Round, which involves 50 oil and gas blocks across various terrains.

Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan made this declaration during a Pre-Bid Webinar organized by the commission to guide prospective investors and companies interested in participating.

Mrs. Eyesan emphasized that the licensing round is more than just an auction of acreage; it is an invitation for committed partners ready to invest, leverage technology, and contribute to the country’s upstream development.

She highlighted that the process was designed to attract serious players capable of moving Nigeria’s assets from licensing to exploration, appraisal, and full-scale production.

Launched on December 1, 2025, the licensing round offers opportunities across frontier, onshore, shallow water, and deepwater areas. The process involves five key steps: registration, pre-qualification, data acquisition, technical bid submission, and evaluation leading to a commercial bid conference.

Only candidates demonstrating strong technical and financial capabilities, professionalism, and credible development plans will progress through each phase, she said.

Mrs. Eyesan assured that the selection of winners would be based solely on transparent merit, with a focus on technical expertise, financial strength, credible project proposals, and the ability to deliver results swiftly.

She noted that, with the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu, the signature bonuses for this round are set within a reduced range to lower entry barriers and emphasize substantive qualifications over financial bids alone.

This approach aims to foster increased competitiveness and respond to global capital mobility. She further stated that the entire bidding process would adhere strictly to Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, ensuring full transparency and openness to public scrutiny through oversight agencies such as NEITI.

Since the launch, all licensing materials have been made accessible via the NUPRC portal, and dedicated support channels have been established to assist applicants. The recent pre-bid webinar served as an opportunity to clarify requirements and encourage effective participation before the tender deadline.

Mrs. Eyesan concluded by emphasizing that Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round signifies a reimagined upstream sector—one rooted in the rule of law, driven by data, aligned with international investment standards, and focused on sustainable value creation.