Full List of Oil Producing States in Nigeria (2024)
Did you know that Nigeria produces approximately 2.5 million barrels of crude oil per day, making it Africa’s largest producer and the world’s sixth largest oil producer?Surprisingly, this high-value and high-volume crude oil is produced from only 7.5 percent of the total land area. This small region of the country that produces it is known as the Niger Delta Region, and the states that comprise it, along with other states where this oil is found, are known as Nigeria’s oil producing states.
Since the discovery of oil in Oloibiri, present-day Bayelsa State, in 1956, Nigeria has made billions of dollars from oil sales. Since then, Nigeria has risen to become Africa’s leading oil producer and the world’s sixth largest producer. Nigeria earned $32.63 billion in revenue from crude oil sales in 2018, and $34.22 billion in 2019. And, according to a recent figure released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) on June 18, 2021, Nigeria earned $418.5 billion from crude oil sales from 2010 to 2019.
FULL LIST OF OIL PRODUCING STATES IN NIGERIA
It is also worth noting that Nigerian oil is among the best in terms of quality, and we cannot achieve this position globally without naming the states that have helped Nigeria rank among the world’s oil-producing nations.
In Nigeria, there are nine oil-producing states that fully maximize the production of the abundant petroleum deposits found in them. Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa account for 90.1 percent of the oil produced in the country’s nine crude oil producing states, making them the top producers of oil in the country.
AKWA IBOM STATE
Akwa Ibom State is Nigeria’s largest oil producing state, producing 504,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Nigeria obtains the greatest proportion of its crude oil from Akwa Ibom, with at least 30 percent of crude oil obtained daily. With such a sum, Akwa Ibom is expected to be one of Nigeria’s wealthiest states.
Akwa Ibom is also Nigeria’s most developed state. The state was established on September 23, 1987, and is located in the country’s south-southwest. Akwa Ibom is one of the Niger Delta states that produces oil.
DELTA STATE
Delta is Nigeria’s second-largest oil producing state, producing 346,000 barrels of crude oil per day. This state supplies at least 22 percent of Nigeria’s crude oil on a daily basis.
Delta state, like the other Niger Delta states, is located in the country’s south-south region and has a population of over 5 million people. Delta State is Nigeria’s second-largest oil-producing state.
The state has a crude oil refinery in Warri, one of the state’s most developed cities. Delta State residents are known to be agriculturally inclined, and commerce thrives in the state.
RIVERS STATE
Rivers State is Nigeria’s third largest oil producer, producing 344,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Rivers state was the largest oil-producing state in Nigeria until Akwa Ibom took over; Rivers state is now the third-largest oil producer in Nigeria.
The state produces up to 21% of Nigeria’s crude oil daily and has the largest crude oil refinery in the country. Rivers state is also one of the richest states in Nigeria, and its capital city, Port Harcourt, is one of the most developed cities in the country.
BAYELSA STATE
Bayelsa State is Nigeria’s fourth largest oil producing state, producing 290,000 barrels of crude oil per day for the country.
When discussing Nigeria’s largest oil-producing states, the list will never be complete unless Bayelsa State is included. Bayelsa State alone accounts for up to 18% of Nigeria’s daily crude oil production.
This state was one of the first in Nigeria to begin crude oil exploration. It has a population of nearly 2 million people and is also located in Nigeria’s South-South region.
Yenagoa, the state’s capital city, is subjected to varying degrees of oil pollution, and as a result of oil spillage, aquatic animals in the state’s waters have been severely harmed; this has also caused a schism between the government and the state’s residents.
ONDO STATE
Ondo state is another oil-producing state in Nigeria, producing more than 60,000 barrels of oil per day.
The capital city of Ondo state is Akure, which is located in Nigeria’s south-western region. This is a peaceful city that is also one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states.
This state is rich in crude oil and other natural resources such as bitumen, making it Nigeria’s largest supplier of tar and bitumen.
Ondo state accounts for up to 3.8 percent of Nigeria’s daily crude oil production; however, this state is also one of the most beautiful in Nigeria.
EDO STATE
The state of Edo produces nearly 40,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Edo State contributes a portion of the crude oil refined in Nigeria and provides up to a 2% quota to the country.
Benin, the state’s capital, has a population of up to 3.5 million people. Edo state is rich in culture and tradition, and it has many artifacts, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations.
IMO STATE
Every day, Imo produces approximately 17,000 barrels of crude oil for the country.
Imo State is located in Nigeria’s south-eastern region, and it is one of the country’s oil-producing states. This Igbo speaking state is also endowed with abundant natural resources such as zinc, lead, limestone, and clay.
Imo state provides up to 1% of Nigeria’s oil, and the state is doing well in terms of development.
ABIA STATE
Abia State is another Igbo oil-producing state in Nigeria’s eastern region. Abia State contributes 0.68 percent crude oil to the Nigerian economy on a daily basis.
LAGOS STATE
Oil was recently discovered in Lagos, elevating the state to the list of Nigerian states where oil can be found. Lagos, Nigeria’s richest state, is also regarded as a center of excellence and the nation’s commercial base.
CONCLUSION
All of the above oil producing states are part of the states that receive a yearly 13 percent of the revenue generated by crude oil intended for states producing oil in Nigeria.
