West Africa on the up
Oil production will grow again in 2016, despite the downturn in prices
STRUGGLING for cash, Nigeria wants to boost oil production. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, head of state oil firm Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said in December that the country aimed to raise oil by 300,000 barrels a day in 2016. It’s not clear how this will happen – the government already says it is producing 2.1m b/d, conveniently almost 300,000 b/d above the number offered by secondary sources. President Muhammadu Buhari, elected last April, is trying to reform NNPC and improve the regulatory framework for oil and gas projects. From March, NNPC will replace crude oil swap agreements with direct crude sales to refiners and the purchase of refined products directly – an effort to
Also in this section
11 February 2026
Panellists from three LNG buyers at LNG2026 in Doha outlined their evolving procurement strategies as they navigate heightened market volatility
11 February 2026
North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination
11 February 2026
Maritime leaders at LNG2026 warned of the dangers of over-regulation on competitiveness, sustainability and innovation
10 February 2026
The country has opened bidding on 50 blocks in a new licensing round but will face competition for attention and will need to address concerns about security and legislation
