NUPRC-SeaSeis seismic data project and future of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

By Akpandem James

Recently, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) signed a three-year Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) agreement with SeaSeisGeophysical Limited (SeaSeis), authorising the company, in partnership with the Commission and TGS, to undertake the acquisition and processing of new 3D seismic and gravity data. The major seismic data acquisition project, PEL No. 5, covers an area of 11,700 square kilometres offshore in the Outer Fold and Thrust Belt of the eastern Niger Delta, in water depths of 400–2,800 metres. This zone is one of Nigeria’s most prolific yet geologically complex regions.

The agreement, signed on March 24, 2026, also empowers the partnership to issue data-use licences, with revenues to be shared between the company and the Commission.

Upon assumption of office in December 2025, the Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, emphasised the importance of data integrity in operations and stated clearly that every aspect of the Commission’s work must be measurable and demonstrably so. “Going forward, NUPRC positions itself on the tape line to be measured by faster, predictable regulatory approvals; secure and sustainable production; credible licensing and disciplined acreage performance; world-class HSE and process safety; and trusted measurement, transparency, governance, and data integrity.”

Emphasising that success will be judged not by policy volume but by tangible outcomes such as higher production, safer operations, reduced losses, credible data, faster approvals, and stronger investor confidence, the CCE fixed her gaze not only on increasing production levels but on doing so at reduced cost. The signing of the recent data acquisition project aligns with this commitment. She reiterated this during the agreement signing, noting that the issuance of the PEL 5 licence reflects the Commission’s continued commitment to data-driven exploration, transparency and long-term value creation for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The licence is expected to unlock stronger prospecting potential, enhance subsurface understanding and support more efficient development of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources, in line with Section 71(1–10) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. The project itself entails the acquisition of new 3D seismic and gravity data and is highly significant for Nigeria’s oil industry. Fundamentally, it is about improving subsurface knowledge, providing a clearer and more accurate picture of what lies beneath the country’s sedimentary basins.

It enables better identification of new oil and gas reserves, as 3D seismic technology offers far greater detail. This allows geoscientists to map underground structures with increased precision, thereby reducing exploration uncertainty. Consequently, it increases the chances of discovering commercially viable hydrocarbon deposits, especially in underexplored frontier basins. It also reduces exploration risk. By generating high-quality data that can be marketed to investors, the NUPRC lowers entry barriers. Oil companies are more likely to invest when guided by reliable data.

In addition, the project creates a new revenue stream, as multiple companies can purchase and utilise the data. This enhances Nigeria’s attractiveness during licensing rounds and helps draw both international oil companies and indigenous firms. Furthermore, it will help revitalise dormant or underexplored basins. Areas that previously lacked detailed data, such as parts of inland basins or deep offshore zones, can now be reassessed using modern technology, potentially unlocking new production zones.

This serves as a boost to Nigeria’s efforts to meet its oil production quota under the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). It is noteworthy that Nigeria’s production quota depends not only on existing wells but also on sustainable reserves and new discoveries. Therefore, this initiative contributes in several ways, including expanding the reserves base, enabling faster field development, improving production efficiency and boosting investor confidence and activity levels. Indeed, increased exploration activity leads to more drilling and ultimately more production. Without continuous exploration, production naturally declines as older fields mature.

The broader implication is that this agreement signals a data-driven strategy to reverse the long-standing challenge of meeting OPEC quotas, often caused by underinvestment, ageing infrastructure and declining reserves replacement. Simply put, more accurate data leads to more discoveries, more investment and more production. While the impact may not be immediate, in terms of increased output, which is typically incremental, the medium to long-term outlook is promising, especially with improvements in security, infrastructure and regulatory stability.

This move is significant because OPEC quotas depend largely on what a country can sustainably produce, not merely what it aspires to produce. The project supports reserve replacement, unlocks new basins and increases drilling success rates. With this strategic initiative, the NUPRC is not merely regulating; it is building a national data repository. This repository will not only serve as a store of critical data but will also generate revenue, as organisations pay for access. In effect, the country can earn income even before oil is discovered, while also making licensing rounds more competitive.

Thus, the agreement serves as a foundation for Nigeria’s future oil output: it reduces uncertainty, attracts capital, improves discovery rates and supports long-term production growth. This outlook becomes even stronger as government agencies address insecurity in oil-producing areas, sustain policy stability and improve the investment climate.

That Nigeria possesses substantial reserves yet struggles with low output is no longer news. The challenge lies not in resource availability but in production constraints. The NUPRC–SeaSeis–TGS project is poised to address these challenges significantly, complementing other integrated strategies aimed at increasing oil and gas production. It targets structural, long-term issues, including declining discoveries, weak exploration-to-production cycles and underutilised frontier and deepwater potential, while also improving efficiency in existing fields.

A notable strategic shift is evident: Nigeria is transitioning from a passive regulator to an active data provider and investment enabler. This is critical because data drives exploration decisions globally, and countries with high-quality data attract more capital. Although this project may not immediately resolve Nigeria’s challenges in meeting its OPEC quota, it positions the country to meet, and potentially exceed, future quotas sustainably. Without such initiatives, production would continue to decline, risking reduced relevance in global oil markets. With them, alongside broader reforms, Nigeria stands to achieve new discoveries, increased reserves and higher long-term output.

Mrs. Eyesan has emphasised, that the PEL 5 initiative underscores the importance of credible partnerships in achieving national production and reserve growth targets: “The PIA recognises that licences can be assigned on non-exclusive acreages to contractors willing to undertake exploration activities. As the chief superintendent of the industry, we must also maintain our production targets, including reserves. The only way to achieve this successfully is through partnerships with committed explorers.”

The project is SeaSeisGeophysical Limited’s largest in Africa, according to its Managing Director, Mr. Goke Adeniyi. Adeniyi noted that the project underscores the scale of opportunity within Nigeria’s upstream sector. “We are pleased to be here, not just as SeaSeis but in partnership with TGS,” he said at the signing ceremony. His organisation will leverage TGS’s GeoStreamer dual-sensor technology, featuring long offsets, wide tow, and triple-source broadband acquisition. The resulting high-fidelity 3D seismic data is expected to provide operators with the quality needed to evaluate prospects with greater confidence.

• James, a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and member of the International Press Institute (IPI), lives in Abuja.