The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission will open the decisive commercial phase of the 2025 oil and gas licensing round on Tuesday (today), with 143 companies set to compete for 50 blocks across Nigeria’s major and emerging hydrocarbon basins.
The commercial bid conference, by invitation only, is scheduled to take place in Abuja. The development marks the latest stage in a licensing process that began in November 2025 and has attracted significant interest from companies seeking access to Nigeria’s upstream petroleum assets.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Head of Media and Corporate Communications at the NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, said companies that successfully scaled the prequalification process had been notified and invited to physically attend the commercial bid conference.
According to the commission, the 50 blocks on offer cover a wide range of geological terrains and include 16 blocks in the Niger Delta Onshore, 18 in the Niger Delta Shallow Water and one in the Niger Delta Deep Offshore.
The assets also include three blocks in the Benin Basin Onshore, four in the Anambra Basin Onshore, four in the Chad Basin Onshore and four in the Benue Trough.
