By Abubakar Yunusa
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 licensing round.
In a statement on Tuesday by Eniola Akinkuotu, NUPRC’s spokesperson, the commission said successful applicants have been duly notified.
“The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) wishes to inform the public that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified successful pre-qualified applicants accordingly,” the statement reads.
“This was done on March 16, 2026 in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines.
“With the pre-qualification stage now successfully completed, the Commission will from today, March 17, 2026, permit successful applicants to lease data in preparation for the technical and commercial bid submissions.”
The commission said pre-qualified applicants are required to obtain data exclusively from the two approved sources (where applicable) and must upload proof of payment as a condition for submitting their bids.
The regulator, on November 28, 2025, disclosed that 50 oil and gas blocks located in various basins and terrains will be offered to interested investors during the 2025 petroleum licensing round.
On December 1, 2025, the commission announced the official commencement of the 2025 petroleum licensing round, targeting about $10 billion in new investments.
On January 28, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, chief executive officer (CEO) of the NUPRC, said only bidders with high technical and financial credentials, professionalism, and credible plans will advance in the licensing round.
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