The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has opened the 2025 Licensing Round with the introduction of a dedicated digital bid portal, marking a new phase in the country’s efforts to attract fresh investment into the upstream oil and gas sector.
The Commission Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, announced the launch on Monday during a briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. He presented the new platform, br2025.nuprc.gov.ng, as a central tool for managing bid submissions and providing real-time access to licensing information.
Komolafe stated that the portal was designed to widen investor participation, improve openness in the licensing process, and support broader exploration activities across the oil and gas value chain. He noted that the commission adopted a digital approach to streamline applications, reduce administrative delays, and create a fair environment for both local and international bidders.
The chief executive reviewed the commission’s recent licensing exercises, highlighting the 2022 Mini-Bid Round and the 2024 Licensing Round. He described both as transparent and competitive, adding that the 2024 round ended without litigation and drew praise from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and other industry observers.
The commission expects the 2025 Licensing Round to build on these outcomes by offering new blocks, attracting diverse investors, and reinforcing Nigeria’s long-term upstream development goals.
