The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has moved Nigeria’s 2025 oil and gas licensing round into a key phase, completing the pre-qualification process and formally notifying successful applicants, signaling the shift from screening to competitive bidding.

In a statement on Tuesday, the commission said the milestone, reached on March 16, 2026, concludes the initial screening phase under the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines and paves the way for the next stage of the process.

Signed by the Head of Media and Strategic Communication, Eniola Akinkuotu, the notice confirmed that only applicants who cleared the pre-qualification stage would be granted access to the subsurface data necessary for bid preparation.

The notice read, “The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission wishes to inform the public that it has completed the pre-qualification stage of the 2025 Licensing Round and has notified successful pre-qualified applicants accordingly.

“This was done on March 16, 2026, in line with the 2025 Licensing Round Guidelines.

“With the pre-qualification stage now completed, the Commission will from today, March 17, 2026, permit successful applicants to lease data in preparation for the technical and commercial bid submissions.”

The regulator emphasised that access to reliable geological and geophysical data will be tightly controlled, highlighting its commitment to transparency and standardization in the bidding process.

The Commission urged interested stakeholders to visit its dedicated portal for more information, noting that all subsequent stages of the licensing exercise will be conducted digitally to ensure greater efficiency and accountability.

“Please note, pre-qualified applicants are mandated to lease data only from the two data sources (as applicable) and upload evidence of payment as a prerequisite to the submission of bids,” the notice added.

The 2025 oil licensing round was officially launched in December 2025, following approval by President Bola Tinubu, as part of efforts to attract new investment into Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.

The round offers 50 oil and gas blocks across multiple sedimentary basins, including the Niger Delta, Anambra, Bida, Benue Trough, and Chad basins—with the aim of boosting exploration, increasing reserves, and supporting long-term crude production growth.

The pre-qualification stage of the process has now been completed, with the submission window having closed on February 27, 2026.

Qualified companies will next advance to the technical and commercial bidding phase, where their submissions will be evaluated ahead of the final award announcements.