Nigeria stayed within its production quota set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries for the fifth consecutive month in September, as crude oil output climbed to 1.53 million barrels per day from 1.50 million bpd recorded in August.

The figures were contained in OPEC’s monthly oil market report released on Tuesday, which showed a rise in the country’s crude production during the month.

The latest numbers follow improvements in output during the third quarter of 2026, although production levels have varied across the year.

According to OPEC data, Nigeria’s crude oil production averaged 1.512 million bpd in the third quarter of 2026, compared with 1.525 million bpd in the second quarter.

Output averaged 1.388 million bpd in the first quarter, a sign that production was stronger in the quarters that followed.

Over the past two years, Nigeria’s crude oil production has improved, rising from an average of 1.345 million bpd in 2024 to 1.432 million bpd in 2025.

Production averaged 1.512 million bpd in the third quarter of 2026, while September output rose to 1.530 million bpd from 1.500 million bpd in August.

The September increase marks a further improvement in the country’s crude oil production, even as Nigeria continues to comply with its OPEC quota.

Nigeria’s wider oil production figures have also shown signs of improvement. In August, combined crude oil and condensate production rose by 0.4% to roughly 1.678 million bpd, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), as previously reported by Nairametrics.

The Dangote Group has projected that Nigeria’s crude oil production could rise to 1.72 million bpd in the fourth quarter of 2026, with average output expected to reach 1.62 million bpd for the full year.

The projection points to the possibility of further gains before the end of the year, although the forecast remains separate from the actual output figures reported by OPEC.

Among other OPEC members, Algeria averaged 1.007 million bpd, Congo recorded 300,000 bpd, and Libya produced 1.391 million bpd, according to OPEC.

The improvement in Nigeria’s production comes as OPEC has lowered its outlook for global oil demand growth in 2026.

The cartel slashed its forecast by more than 70%, from 1.4 million bpd to 400,000 bpd, reflecting weaker-than-expected demand growth during the year.

The decision came as Saudi Arabia faces renewed drone and missile threats following deadly attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.

The revised outlook provides a wider market context for Nigeria’s production gains, as the country seeks to increase output while remaining within its OPEC production quota.