Africa’s oil landscape continues to be dominated by Nigeria, which retained its position as the continent’s largest crude producer in May despite a modest output decline, according to OPEC’s latest monthly report.
While production slipped to 1.45 million barrels per day (bpd) from April’s 1.48 million bpd, Nigeria still outpaced regional competitors Libya at 1.36 million bpd, Algeria at 920,000 bpd, and Congo at 268,000 bpd.
OPEC direct communication reports Nigeria’s May production at 1.45 million bpd. Secondary sources suggest a higher output of 1.54 million bpd, while NUPRC data confirms 1.45 million bpd of crude plus 204,493 bpd of condensate. May production hit 97 percent of Nigeria’s 1.5 million bpd OPEC quota.
The 2.2 percent month-on-month decline reflects persistent hurdles, including pipeline vandalism and theft in the Niger Delta, underinvestment in aging infrastructure, and regulatory uncertainties delaying new projects. Yet Nigeria’s oil sector shows resilience, with peak daily production reaching 1.81 million bpd when including condensate, a light hydrocarbon liquid excluded from OPEC quotas.
As OPEC+ members collectively boosted output by 180,000 bpd in May, Nigeria’s performance underscores its pivotal role in global energy markets. However, the narrowing gap with Libya, Africa’s second-largest producer, signals growing competition for continental leadership.
With the Dangote Refinery’s imminent full-scale operations and ongoing deepwater projects, Nigeria aims to stabilize production. But sustaining its top position will require enhanced security for oil infrastructure, accelerated approvals for pending investments, and gas development to complement crude revenues.
