No fewer than 19 oil licences in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector have stated expiry dates in 2026, according to the latest Nigerian Upstream Concession Situation Report released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The affected concessions comprise 12 Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) and seven Oil Prospecting Licences (OPLs) spread across different areas of Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry.
The report, released in August 2026, does not mean that all 19 licences will automatically be revoked when their stated expiry dates are reached. Some of the concessions are undergoing conversion processes, while others have been marked for possible tenure extensions.
Among the PPLs listed in the report is PPL 220, held by Navante Exploration and Production Limited, with a stated expiry date of October 16, 2026. PPL 232, held by Kizi Oil and Gas Services Limited, is scheduled to expire on November 16, while PPL 235, held by Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited, has a November 1 expiry date.
Other affected PPLs include PPL 223, PPL 251 and PPL 266. The report also lists PPL 277, PPL 275 and PPL 254 with February 14, 2026 expiry dates, although it does not indicate that the licences have been revoked or cancelled.
The OPL category includes OPL 228, held by Sahara Upstream Production Nigeria Limited, which had a stated expiry date of July 9, 2026. Other licences include OPL 289, OPL 809, OPL 810, OPL 276 and OPL 2010, with expiry dates falling at different times during the year.
The expiry schedule cuts across both onshore and offshore acreage. Several of the affected PPLs are located within the Niger Delta and continental shelf areas.
For example, PPL 220 covers about 44.8 square kilometres in the onshore Niger Delta and is associated with the Abigborodo field, while PPL 232 covers approximately 32.4 square kilometres on the continental shelf and is associated with the Amaniba field.
Renewal, conversion remain possible
The NUPRC report makes clear that the stated expiry dates should not automatically be interpreted as the termination of the licences.
Some concessions are marked for possible optional tenure extension or conversion, while others are already undergoing conversion.
Among those listed as being under conversion are PPL 219, held by Nuway Oaklane Limited; PPL 236, held by Emadeb Energy Services Limited; PPL 243, held by Waltersmith Petroman Limited; and PPL 258, held by Halkin Exploration and Production Limited.
The regulator has not published the final outcome of renewal or extension applications for the affected licences.
An energy expert, Professor Emeritus Wumi Iledare, previously noted that licence renewal would generally depend on the level of exploration and development activity undertaken by the holders.
He said licences without meaningful exploration or development activities could face difficulties securing renewal under the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.
Government intensifies pressure on dormant assets
The development comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to bring dormant oil and gas assets back into active production.
The government has repeatedly promoted a “drill or drop” policy, under which operators that fail to develop their awarded assets risk losing them.
NUPRC Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, recently warned successful bidders in the 2025 commercial bid round that securing an oil licence was only the beginning of their obligations.
She said operators that failed to commence meaningful work within the required period could have their assets reclaimed by the commission.
The regulator's position reflects the government's broader push to increase crude oil production, attract new investment, reduce idle acreage and strengthen Nigeria's upstream petroleum sector.
The expiry of the 19 licences also comes against the backdrop of fresh licensing activity. In July 2026, NUPRC issued 19 Petroleum Prospecting Licences to 12 successful awardees under the 2024 Licensing Round and the 2022/2023 Mini Bid Round.
The regulator said the new awards covered deep offshore, shallow-water and continental shelf acreage, with many of the newly issued licences carrying tenure dates extending to 2031.
For the 19 licences with stated 2026 expiry dates, the immediate question is therefore whether the affected assets will be renewed, converted, extended or returned to the government for possible reallocation.
The NUPRC report provides the relevant tenure dates but does not establish the final regulatory fate of each licence.
