The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has clarified the status of 220 oil blocks, saying they’ are not abandoned but rather awaiting concessions under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the commission explained that it had published the concession status of 243 oil blocks “in the spirit of transparency as envisaged by the PIA 2021.”
NUPRIN also stated that the publication was misinterpreted in some media reports, leading to claims that the oil blocks were deserted.
“The 220 oil blocks are not abandoned. They are awaiting concessions in line with Section 7(t) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, which empowers the commission to conduct periodic licensing rounds and grant Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) and Petroleum Mining Leases (PMLs) to prospective investors,” the NUPRC said.
The upstream regulator added that the oil blocks would be allocated to concessionaires once bid rounds were concluded and all conditions fulfilled.
It advised journalists to “exercise circumspection in reporting and always prioritise national interest,” noting that accurate information on its operations was available on its website at https://www.nuprc.gov.ng/.
“The report on so-called abandoned oil blocks is a misinterpretation of the data we uploaded,” the commission emphasised.
