The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production increased to 1.335 million barrels per day (bpd) in December 2023.
This represents 85,000 bpd or 6.8 percent rise from the 1.250 million bpd recorded in November 2023.
In its monthly oil market report released on Wednesday, OPEC said the figure was from direct communication.
OPEC receives data on crude oil production from two sources, direct communication — which is from members of the group — as well as secondary communication, such as energy intelligence platforms.
With the current drilling performance, the country clinched the position of the biggest oil producer in Africa.
Trailing behind Nigeria is Libya with 1.179 million bpd, followed by Algeria with 954,000 bpd.
Meanwhile, OPEC’s secondary sources put Nigeria’s crude production at 1.418 million bpd — a 7.51 percent jump from the 1.319 million bpd reported by the oil cartel in November 2023.
Speaking on the group’s output, OPEC said crude oil production increased in Nigeria and Iraq, but dropped in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
“According to secondary sources, total OPEC-12 crude oil production averaged 26.70 mb/d in December 2023, higher by 73 tb/d, m-o-m. Crude oil output increased mainly in Nigeria and Iraq, while production in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and IR Iran decreased,” OPEC said.
