Juliet Oladele, Reporting
THE Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has published its second-quarter 2026 report on the rollout of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO), revealing that local refineries received a combined 53.7 million barrels of crude oil and condensate between April and June – representing an impressive 97.4 per cent delivery rate for the period.
The figures, mandated under Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), confirm that the NUPRC is actively driving and monitoring the DCSO regime with growing efficacy.
Under the quarterly framework, the Commission convenes monthly with key industry stakeholders, including crude producers and licensed local refineries, to determine set volumes of crude and condensate to be made available to home-based refiners. The arrangement operates on a “willing buyer, willing seller” model as stipulated by the PIA, meaning final uptake remains contingent on commercial agreements.
Month-on-month performance varied considerably across the quarter. April saw allocated volumes of 18,127,638 barrels, with producers offering 19,312,476 barrels and refineries ultimately receiving 20,879,381 barrels – a robust 114.9 per cent delivery rate that exceeded the target.
May, however, proved more challenging. Despite an allocated volume of 18,778,392 barrels and producers putting 23,187,893 barrels on the table, refineries received just 14,228,865 barrels, translating to a compliance rate of 75.8 per cent.
June recovered strongly, with an allocated volume of 18,172,638 barrels, producers offering 26,835,119 barrels, and refineries receiving 18,606,026 barrels – achieving a 102.4 per cent performance rate.
The Commission attributed the overall strong showing to two primary factors: rising domestic oil output and the signing of long-term crude supply deals backed by bankable Sales and Purchase Agreements between producers and Nigerian refiners.
Notably, the Dangote Refinery’s requirement for the quarter stood at 63 million barrels. Producers offered it 68.1 million barrels, accounting for a staggering 98 per cent of all crude volumes offered to local plants during the period. Dangote ultimately took delivery of 52.6 million barrels, equivalent to 78 per cent of what was offered to it.
Closing out the report in a press statement issued by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head of Cooperation and Information at the NUPRC, the Commission restated its unwavering pledge to support the federal government’s goal of energy self-reliance.
“Using the 2021 PIA framework, the Commission will continue pushing production upward while maintaining strict oversight of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation,” the statement read.
Industry analysts have welcomed the report, viewing it as evidence that Nigeria is progressively moving towards energy security, though they caution that the May dip highlights lingering logistical and commercial friction points that will require sustained attention from regulators and industry players alike.
