Nigeria has reduced the approval time for applications to restart dormant oil wells from several weeks to just a few hours, as the country moves to increase crude production and benefit from elevated global oil prices.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is now granting permits within hours for activities capable of boosting output. These include reopening inactive wells, as well as approvals for evacuations and barging operations at production sites and export terminals

According to sources familiar with the process, the accelerated system is part of broader efforts to ramp up production. A spokesperson for the regulator confirmed that expedited approvals are being issued for all operations that can enhance output.

The policy shift has led to a surge in applications, particularly from indigenous oil firms seeking to resume operations at previously abandoned wells.

The faster process replaces the earlier timeline, which ranged from two to six weeks.

Reviving old wells is considered more cost-effective and quicker than drilling new ones, which often require years of planning before production begins.

In 2024, the regulator approved about 500 permits to reopen dormant wells, including projects linked to local operators such as Heirs Energy and Seplat Energy.

Despite these efforts, Nigeria’s oil production remains below target. Output dropped to 1.31 million barrels per day in February, marking a 17-month low, largely due to maintenance at a major facility.

Production has yet to return to levels above 2 million barrels per day.

The government has set a target of 1.84 million barrels per day for the year, a goal that continues to prove challenging as the country seeks to position itself more competitively among global oil producers.