The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Tuesday announced 31 companies as successful bidders for 37 oil and gas blocks in the 2025 Licensing Round, despite what it described as persistent threats and pressure directed at members of its evaluation team before the process was completed.
The commercial bid conference concluded an eight-month licensing exercise. The successful bidders are now expected to pay their signature bonuses and meet all post-award requirements within 90 days. Failure to comply could result in the revocation of the awarded assets, which would then be offered to reserve bidders.
Speaking at the commercial bid conference in Abuja, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, revealed that members of the bid evaluation team were subjected to repeated intimidation throughout the licensing process but remained committed to ensuring a transparent and credible exercise.
According to Eyesan, the pressure continued until the eve of the commercial bid opening. She emphasized that despite the challenges, the commission upheld the integrity of the process, urging the public to disregard any claims suggesting the exercise lacked transparency or credibility.
Eyesan praised members of the evaluation committee for their resilience, noting that they had worked tirelessly since June 12 despite facing persistent calls and serious threats. She said the intimidation continued until the day before the commercial bid conference, but the team remained resolute in safeguarding the integrity of the licensing process, adding that the outcome reflects Nigeria’s commitment to creating a transparent and investor-friendly business environment.
She also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu directed the commission to conduct a credible and transparent licensing exercise. Eyesan expressed appreciation to the evaluation team and observers from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for their role in ensuring the process was successfully completed.
According to the commission, 31 companies emerged as successful bidders after 143 firms submitted nearly 200 bids for 37 oil and gas blocks from the 50 assets made available in the 2025 Licensing Round.
Among the companies that secured oil and gas blocks in the 2025 Licensing Round are SSonic Petroleum Limited, CFP Pipeline and Flowlines, Dutchford E&P Limited, Attabanson Global Company Limited, Rosem Energy Limited, Pivot-GIS Limited, Network E&P, Asharami, LexOil, BVOF, Gupsco Energy Limited, Saratoga, Volante, Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited, Clinton Oil Field, Nuway Oaklane Limited, and Ramec Italia.
Other successful bidders include Blueridge E&P, Up Energies Limited, AYM Shafa, Blackrock Holdings Limited, Funtay Integrated Business Limited, Riparian Development and Production Limited, Nikstallis, Stardeep Petroleum, Dakoda & U Limited, Southborne Oil and Gas Limited, Lanaka Petroleum, Highban Resources Limited, and Eyre Energy Limited.
The commission clarified that the companies were selected as preferred bidders and would only be granted Petroleum Prospecting Licences after fulfilling all mandatory requirements and conditions outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act.
Eyesan advised the successful bidders to begin the post-award procedures without delay, stressing that the final awards would only be issued after the payment of the required signature bonuses and the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, as stipulated by the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
She cautioned that companies that fail to meet the post-award requirements within the 90-day deadline risk losing their awards, with the commission empowered to proceed with reserve bidders for the available assets.
The commission stated that the commercial bidding process was structured to prevent human interference by relying on an automated weighted scoring system. It explained that the technical assessments were concluded before the public opening of commercial bids, adding that no individual, including members of the evaluation committee, had access to the bids ahead of time.
The commission noted that the weighted score accounted for 40 per cent of the evaluation and that all calculations were handled electronically by the system, with no manual input involved. According to the agency, the automated approach highlights the transparency, efficiency, and credibility embedded in the licensing round.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has brought an end to the discretionary allocation of oil blocks in Nigeria, adding humorously that the law had made such practices impossible for those who benefited from them in the past.
He emphasized that the legislation promotes fairness, transparency, and credibility in the award process, assuring investors that the details of commercial bids remain confidential until they are officially unveiled. Lokpobiri further cautioned successful bidders against holding licences merely as speculative assets rather than actively developing them.
Lokpobiri recalled that in the past, some individuals travelled to international conferences with oil licences in search of partners who were never secured. He stressed that such practices should end, insisting that the licences awarded must lead to genuine field development and increased production activities.
Speaking separately, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the licensing round demonstrated the Federal Government’s dedication to transparency, fair competition, and a credible investment process.
Ekpo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment that encourages investment, boosts exploration and production, and maximizes the potential of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources.
