The Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency in the Extractive Industry, CCSTEI, has lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, under Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, Bayo Ojulari, for the milestone recorded by NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, NEPL, the upstream subsidiary, which hit a daily crude oil output of 355,000 barrels on December 1, 2025.

The 355,000 barrels recorded on December 1, 2025 is the highest daily output in 36 years.

The development contributed to an average daily production increase of 52 percent, from 203,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 312,000 barrels per day in 2025.

National Coordinator of CCSTEI, Dr. Agabi Emmanuel, in a statement released on Friday, attributed the development to bold reforms initiated by Ojulari, which he said have enhanced transparency, boosted operational efficiency, and driven significant improvements in crude oil production.

CCSTEI highlighted that since April 2025, when the new management led by Ojulari came on board, NNPCL has shifted from longstanding perceptions of opacity and inefficiency to a more commercially driven and accountable entity.

The civic group, which focuses on transparency in the extractive sector, noted that the consistent publication of monthly performance reports has fostered real-time stakeholder oversight.

The stakeholders equally applauded NNPCL’s 2024 audited results, which showed a record revenue of ₦45.1 trillion and a profit after tax of ₦5.4 trillion – marking a 64 percent year-on-year growth in profit.

The statement in the same vein highlighted ongoing investments in gas infrastructure, including progress on projects like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano, AKK, pipeline, Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System, ELPS, and Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben, OB3, pipeline, aimed at achieving targets of 10 billion cubic feet per day by 2027 and 12 billion by 2030.

However, CCSTEI noted that challenges such as lingering public skepticism, oil theft, and global energy transitions continue to persist, and called for continued support for Ojulari’s leadership.

The civic group recommended further enhancements in public engagement, third-party audits, anti-corruption measures, local content development, and alignment with energy transition goals.

CCSTEI noted that Ojulari and his team are restoring confidence in NNPC Limited after many challenging years.

“Visionary leadership, coupled with accountability and performance excellence, can redefine an institution for the better. We charge you to soldier on undeterred,” Agabi said, noting that with the continued resolve of the Ojulari-led management, NNPCL will not only drive economic prosperity but also serve as a beacon of transparent governance in Africa.