Nigeria recorded one of the strongest month-on-month oil production increases among OPEC member countries in November 2025, according to data contained in the December 2025 OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report. The report shows that Nigeria pumped 1.436 million barrels per day (mbpd) in November, an improvement from the 1.401 mbpd produced in October. The figures, obtained through direct communication between OPEC and its member nations, indicate that the country added 35,000 barrels per day during the month its most significant boost in production in recent months.
Despite this notable rise, Nigeria’s output still fell short of its assigned OPEC quota of 1.5 mbpd. The persistent shortfall underscores the country’s ongoing battle to regain full production capacity after months of setbacks. Nevertheless, the November increase points to gradual improvements, driven by better security in upstream regions and operational optimisation across major oil terminals. These developments have allowed the industry to stabilise slightly, even though output remains below target.
This marks the fourth straight month in which Nigeria has failed to meet its OPEC-mandated quota, the last time being July 2025 when production briefly aligned with expectations. Production levels dipped sharply in August and September due to scheduled maintenance activities and labour-related disruptions, creating a major decline that Nigeria has been attempting to reverse. Output then picked up marginally in October and strengthened further in November, reflecting ongoing efforts to restore output levels.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, recently stated that the country would formally request an increase in its production quota. According to him, the current quota of about 1.5 mbpd no longer reflects Nigeria’s true production potential. He insisted that Nigeria is capable of producing at least two million barrels per day and would push for a quota review. His comments came at a time when Nigeria’s crude output had dropped from above 1.5 mbpd in July to around 1.39 mbpd by September before recovering slightly.
The OPEC report also highlighted that while Nigeria recorded one of the strongest gains, overall OPEC crude production remained largely unchanged in November. Total output from the organisation rose by just 39,000 barrels per day to an estimated 25.17 mbpd. Saudi Arabia the group’s largest producer posted the biggest month-on-month increase, adding 48,000 bpd to reach 10.05 mbpd. The kingdom continues to bear the largest share of voluntary production adjustments, maintaining its role in stabilising the global oil market.
Several other OPEC members also saw moderate production increases. Libya added 14,000 bpd to reach 1.365 mbpd, continuing its slow recovery despite political instability. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates recorded smaller increases of 10,000 bpd and 8,000 bpd respectively. Venezuela continued its gradual output recovery, increasing production by 10,000 bpd to reach 1.142 mbpd, supported by ongoing operational improvements.
However, not all members saw gains. Iraq recorded the largest decline, cutting 40,000 bpd to produce 4.1 mbpd amid renewed pressure from OPEC for better compliance with production limits. Congo also posted a smaller drop of 8,000 bpd, producing 269,000 bpd. Meanwhile, Iran, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea did not submit direct production data for the month.
