The President of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mrs. Olajumoke Cecilia Ajayi, has called for renewed and deeper exploration activities across Nigeria’s hydrocarbon basins as the only sustainable pathway to achieving the country’s ambitious oil production targets of 1.5 million barrels per day and ultimately 3 million barrels per day.
Speaking during a fire chat with journalists at the ongoing 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) in Abuja, Ajayi stressed that production growth cannot be discussed in isolation from exploration, describing explorers as the foundation of the upstream petroleum value chain.
“Nigeria cannot talk about increasing production volumes without first talking about discovery,” she said. “You cannot produce what you have not found. The oil we are producing today is from discoveries made years ago. If we want to go beyond current levels, we must add more reserves, and that can only happen through aggressive exploration.”
Ajayi explained that while Nigeria currently produces slightly above 1.5 million barrels per day, reaching higher targets would require drilling more wells, exploring deeper formations, and unlocking untapped potentials, particularly in frontier basins.
“We still have deeper prospects that have not been drilled,” she noted. “With improved technology, we can now manage pressure regimes better and go deeper. When we drill deeper, we make more discoveries, bring more oil to the surface, and grow production. So yes, 3 million barrels per day is achievable, but only if exploration is prioritized.”
The NAPE President acknowledged that investor appetite for Nigeria’s upstream sector had declined in the past due to regulatory uncertainty but said the situation has improved significantly with the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the emergence of new, more transparent regulators.
“The PIA has helped to create confidence,” she said. “Today, we are seeing regular licensing rounds. Fields that were left unattended for many years are now attracting investors. These are discoveries without production, and once investors take them up, they are obliged to work the assets.”
Ajayi contrasted the current licensing framework with past practices where license holders sometimes sat on assets without development. She said the emphasis has now shifted to technical competence and delivery.
“Technical capability is key,” she stressed. “You can have financial strength, but without technical know-how, nothing works. Regulators now look at one accountable company, even if it is backed by a consortium, and ensure that all the boxes are ticked before assets are awarded.”
Drawing from her experience as an operator, Ajayi highlighted how effective collaboration and technical expertise can fast-track production. She recounted how her company, formed by partners who were initially unfamiliar with one another, was able to overcome early challenges and deliver results within record time.
“We were forced together, but we decided to make it work,” she said. “We achieved first oil quickly and converted our assets to Petroleum Mining Leases (PMLs) in record time. But that kind of success requires maturity, trust, and strong technical foundations.”
On her company’s performance, Ajayi disclosed that it recently completed drilling a successful well and is preparing to drill a second. She revealed that in less than one year, the company produced and evacuated over one million barrels of crude oil, with production averaging about 2,400 barrels per day from a single well.
“This is what happens when you put round pegs in round holes,” she said. “Exploration and subsurface understanding are critical. Every discipline matters, but it all starts from geoscience. If the subsurface is not properly understood, there can be no success.”
Addressing local content and indigenous capacity, Ajayi said hydrocarbons remain central to Nigeria’s industrialization and energy transition, noting that oil and gas by-products support thousands of downstream industries.
“Hydrocarbons are not just about fuel,” she explained. “They are used for fertilizer, manufacturing, furniture, tyres—over 6,000 by-products. Processing crude locally means more industries, more jobs, and stronger economic value for the country.”
She added that the emergence of large-scale and modular refineries, including the Dangote Refinery, has created opportunities to retain value within Nigeria rather than exporting crude and importing finished products.
Ajayi also emphasized Nigeria’s vast gas potential, noting that proven gas reserves could meet domestic needs while supporting power generation and industrial growth.
“We have significant gas already discovered, and over 600 trillion cubic feet yet to be discovered,” she said. “And that does not even include frontier basins where data is still limited. Once we acquire data and explore those areas, the volumes could double or triple.”
She concluded by urging regulators and government to ensure that asset holders are not merely extracting value from existing discoveries but are mandated to invest in deeper drilling and new exploration.
“This is what NAPE stands for,” Ajayi said. “We will continue to work with regulators and government to ensure that exploration remains at the heart of Nigeria’s upstream strategy.”
