Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round is already attracting early attention from major international oil companies as renewed confidence grows in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s ongoing reforms, which industry players say have strengthened transparency and regulatory clarity in the sector. The interest comes on the heels of strong industry praise for the recently concluded 2024 mini-bid round, which many stakeholders have described as one of the most transparent in recent years.
French energy giant TotalEnergies is among the first global players to openly commend the commission for the conduct of the 2024 exercise. The company said the transparent and credible process has reinforced investor trust and improved Nigeria’s prospects as it prepares to open the 2025 Licensing Round on December 1, 2025.
The commendation came during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, by a high-level TotalEnergies delegation led by the President of TotalEnergies Exploration & Production, Nicolas Terraz. The delegation also included the Managing Director and Chief Executive of TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mathieu Bouyer, alongside other senior officials. The meeting took place on Monday at the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commission’s Head of Media and Strategic Communication, Eniola Akinkuotu, the visit demonstrated TotalEnergies’ growing confidence in Nigeria’s upstream industry. Komolafe assured the delegation that Nigeria is now equipped with a predictable and investment-friendly regulatory environment, thanks to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. He explained that the era of uncertainty that previously slowed exploration activities has ended, with the Commission now playing an active role as an enabler of investment.
Komolafe also commended TotalEnergies for its continued compliance with the host community provisions of the PIA, particularly under the Obagi Host Communities Development Trust. He said the company’s efforts show practical commitment to improving relationships with host communities and supporting sustainable development.
The NUPRC Chief encouraged TotalEnergies to take an active role in the upcoming 2025 Licensing Round, which he said is designed to attract high-value investments, new entrants and expanded exploration across both mature and frontier basins. He stated that the reforms introduced under the PIA will ensure that the bid process is competitive, transparent and beneficial to both Nigeria and participating investors.
In his remarks, Terraz praised the Commission for its conduct of the 2024 mini-bid round, which he said was handled with professionalism and transparency. According to him, the credibility of the process has strengthened global confidence in Nigeria’s upstream regulatory system. He added that TotalEnergies is optimistic that the 2025 Licensing Round will build on the positive outcomes of the previous exercise, describing Nigeria as a strategic hub in the company’s global portfolio.
The 2025 Licensing Round is expected to be Nigeria’s largest acreage offering since the passage of the PIA. While the 2024 mini-bid round focused primarily on deepwater and frontier assets, the upcoming round will open up a wider mix of mature, marginal and frontier terrains for competitive bidding. Industry analysts say the broader focus is aimed at stimulating exploration, improving reserves replacement and ensuring long-term production growth.
The Commission plans to introduce new transparency tools, digital bid submissions and stricter timelines to ensure a smoother and more predictable process. Officials also said that the revised fiscal terms under the PIA, faster contracting cycles and improved acreage management will help reduce investment delays and encourage more participation from both international and indigenous companies.
The Commission has also emphasised stronger host community frameworks to reduce disputes, improve project delivery and create a more stable operating environment. These measures are expected to make Nigeria’s upstream landscape more competitive at a time when other African countries are aggressively courting exploration investments.
The 2025 Licensing Round comes at a time when Nigeria is working to reclaim its position as Africa’s leading exploration destination after losing ground in recent years to countries such as Namibia and Angola, which have recorded major discoveries. With rising global interest in new oil and gas opportunities, Nigeria’s ability to manage a transparent and credible bid round will be critical to its long-term strategy for boosting investment and production.
TotalEnergies’ early show of interest is seen by industry watchers as a strong signal of renewed trust among major international oil companies. Many experts say the outcome of the 2025 Licensing Round will reveal whether Nigeria’s reforms have fully restored investor confidence and whether the country can attract the level of capital needed to sustain its upstream growth.
