The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced the discovery of a new oil well, Awodi-07, in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta region.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, and published on the company’s website on Monday.
According to the statement, NNPC Ltd congratulated Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) on the successful drilling of the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well, noting that Chevron operates the asset under the NNPC Ltd/CNL Joint Venture.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has congratulated Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the NNPC Ltd/CNL Joint Venture, on the successful completion of the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well located in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta,” the statement noted.
The company said the Awodi-07 well was drilled as part of the joint venture’s ongoing efforts to further delineate and unlock hydrocarbon potential within its asset portfolio.
NNPC explained that drilling activities commenced in late November 2025 and were concluded in mid-December 2025.
“The drilling, testing and data acquisition activities were executed safely and efficiently, in compliance with approved operational and regulatory standards,” NNPC said.
Following comprehensive testing, logging and evaluation, the company said the well was safely secured, marking the successful completion of the programme.
Results from the well were described as highly encouraging, confirming the presence of significant hydrocarbons across multiple reservoir zones.
Oil reserves in Nigeria
The discovery of the Awodi-07 well further highlights the federal government’s continued efforts to explore Nigeria’s vast oil and mineral resources to drive sustainable growth and development.
Although oil discoveries in Nigeria since the 1950s have been described by many as both a curse and a blessing, crude oil remains the backbone of the country’s economy. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation published last year found that several oil-producing communities, including Ogoniland, continue to suffer severe hydrocarbon pollution.
Meanwhile, Nigeria and several other countries pledged in 2023 to gradually transition away from fossil fuels.
Despite this commitment, development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector has continued, as the industry is widely seen as critical to stabilising the country’s fragile economy and addressing persistent energy challenges.
In recent years, Nigeria has embarked on reforms aimed at revamping its energy sector by leveraging its vast resources to achieve energy security, economic growth and sustainable development, amid challenges such as regulatory coordination gaps and financing constraints.
Under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the reforms seek to attract investment, expand access to energy and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources. Key policy drivers include the Electricity Act 2023, the Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which targets net-zero emissions by 2060, and increased investments in the gas sector.
These reforms have encouraged renewed investor interest, with several oil and gas companies indicating their willingness to expand operations in the country. Delegations from Chevron, Shell, and others have recently met with the president’s Special Assistant on Energy, Olu Verheijen.
Last week, the Chief Executive Officer of Shell Plc, Wael Sawan, signalled the company’s readiness to invest heavily in Nigeria, citing President Tinubu’s leadership in creating an enabling investment climate and restoring investor confidence.
The Awodi-07 discovery also reinforces Nigeria’s oil reserves potential. In 2021, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) disclosed that of about 7,000 oil reserves discovered in the country, only 1,700 were producing crude oil.
At the time, the regulator said measures were being put in place to bring additional reserves into production to achieve the federal government’s target of 40 billion barrels of oil reserves.
According to the commission, Nigeria has the capacity to produce about 3 million barrels of crude oil per day. However, crude oil production has hovered around 1.4 million barrels per day, following production cuts recommended by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Major milestone
On Monday, NNPC said the outcome of the Awodi-07 discovery represents a major milestone for the joint venture, strengthening confidence in the asset and reinforcing the prospectivity of the area.
“The success of Awodi-07 further highlights the effectiveness of disciplined exploration, sound technical evaluation, and the strong operational collaboration between NNPC Ltd and its Joint Venture partner,” the company said.
Commenting on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, praised Chevron Nigeria Limited for its operational excellence and technical competence.
“The success of the Awodi-07 well further reinforces the strength of the NNPC Ltd/CNL Joint Venture and our shared commitment to responsibly growing Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves,” the NNPC boss said.
Mr Ojulari added that the achievement aligns with the company’s strategic priorities of increasing production, enhancing national energy security and delivering sustainable value for Nigerians.
Also reacting, the Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Ltd, Udy Ntia, described the results as evidence of the benefits of sustained collaboration and technical rigour.
“This discovery underscores the importance of disciplined exploration programmes, strong partnerships, and the positive impact of the reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act,” he said, adding that the company looks forward to working closely with Chevron Nigeria Limited to mature the opportunity and progress it towards timely development and monetisation.
NNPC Ltd and Chevron Nigeria Limited operate several oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta under a joint venture arrangement, with Chevron holding a 40 per cent interest and NNPC Ltd retaining the remaining stake, the statement said.
It added that the partnership aims to raise oil production to about 146,000 barrels per day, supporting government revenue, job creation and national energy supply.
