Crude oil losses from metering problems and theft have decreased to their lowest levels in almost 16 years, marking a significant turnaround in Nigeria’s upstream oil sector.
Eniola Akinkuotu, Head of Media and Strategic Communications, signed a statement stating that daily losses in July 2025 were 9,600 barrels per day (bpd), the lowest amount since 2009, when losses fell to an all-time low of 8,500bpd.
This is based on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) July 2025 report on crude oil losses for the year to date.
This development represents a significant advancement in the commission’s unrelenting efforts to eradicate all types of petroleum losses from Nigeria’s pipelines and oilfields.
Crude oil losses were kept to 2.04 million barrels between January and July 2025, or an average of 9,600 barrels per day throughout that time. This is a significant change from the years of high losses that have long dogged the sector.
In contrast, 4.1 million barrels were lost throughout the entire 2024 calendar year, with an average of 11,300 barrels each day. Surprisingly, losses were reduced by 50.2% in the first seven months of 2025, with only 2.04 million barrels lost during that time.
In comparison to the full year of 2021, when Nigeria lost an astounding 37.6 million barrels of crude oil at a daily average of 102,900 barrels, the numbers for the period ending July 2025 likewise show a stunning 94.57% decrease in crude oil losses.
The amount of progress gained in just four years is demonstrated by the fact that just 2.04 million barrels have been lost so far in 2025, a decrease of 35.56 million barrels from the 37.6 million barrels lost in 2021.
2021 was the peak year between 2002 and July 2025 for crude oil losses, the most in over 23 years.
Nigeria has made consistent strides in lowering crude oil losses since the Petroleum Industry Act went into effect in 2021. Losses in 2021 totaled 37.6 million barrels, or 102,900 barrels per day on average. At a daily average of 57,200 barrels, this fell to 20.9 million barrels by 2022.
In 2023, losses decreased to 4.3 million barrels at 11,900 barrels per day, continuing the declining trend. In 2024, losses were further reduced to 4.1 million barrels, or 11,300 barrels per day on average, marking even more success.
In order to address oil losses, the commission has chosen a well-balanced combination of kinetic and non-kinetic tactics. The commission has persisted in working closely with security agencies, operators, and communities on the kinetic front.
To address systemic flaws, NUPRC has put strategic regulatory measures into place on the non-kinetic front. The metering audit of upstream facilities is one important step to guarantee precise production and export measurement.
In order to prevent oil theft, NUPRC authorized 37 new routes for the evacuation of crude oil.
12 September 2025
