The figure marks an increase from 1.42 million bpd recorded in December 2025, based on data obtained through direct communication with Nigerian authorities.

Despite the marginal dip, Nigeria maintained its lead on the continent, ahead of Libya, which posted production of 1.37 million bpd during the same period. The figures reaffirm Nigeria’s strategic importance within Africa’s energy landscape and the wider OPEC alliance.

OPEC gathers production data through two primary channels, direct submissions from member states and secondary sources such as independent energy intelligence platforms.

An Austrian soldier guards the entrance to the OPEC headquarters on October 4, 2022 on the eve of the 45th Meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee and the 33rd OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held on October 05, in Vienna, Austria. [Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images]

The oil cartel also reported that total crude production from the Declaration of Cooperation group averaged 42.45 million bpd in January 2026, down 439,000 bpd from the previous month.

Nigeria nonetheless fell short of its 1.5 million bpd production quota by around 50,000 bpd. Still, recent domestic figures suggest further upside potential. On 10 February, Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said Nigeria’s oil output, including condensates, stood at 1.75 million bpd.

For Africa’s largest economy, sustaining higher output remains critical, not only for domestic fiscal stability but also for reinforcing its leadership in global energy markets.