Sahara Group says it plans to lift its oil output to 350,000 barrels per day over the next five years. It has bought seven new drilling and workover rigs to help reach that goal.
Leste Aihevba, Chief Technical Officer of Sahara’s upstream arm Asharami Energy, told investors that two rigs are already in Nigeria. Two more are set to arrive before the year’s end. The rest will follow. He said the rigs will speed up production and exploration.
“A journey towards a secure and sustainable energy future for Africa cannot be travelled in silos,” Aihevba said. He noted the Group’s investments cover the full energy value chain—upstream, midstream, power, and infrastructure.
One rig, a 2,000-horsepower land rig named L-Buba, has already begun drilling a gas development well. Aihevba said another rig is now being mobilised to drill oil. The rigs will be operated by Sahara’s Arahas Global Oilfield Services.
He said Sahara also wants stronger local partnerships and regional cooperation. “Every refinery upgrade, every gas project, every power reform and community wealth initiative must be part of a broader continental blueprint,” he added.
Nigeria’s crude oil output rose 5.5 percent year-on-year in August 2025 to about 1.43 million barrels per day. That marked 96 percent of Nigeria’s OPEC quota. (Nigeria’s combined crude and condensate output in August averaged 1.63 million bpd.)
Sahara said its ambition includes boosting gas production to 1,000 million standard cubic feet per day (MMScf/d) in Nigeria. It’s Afam 2 power plant, in Rivers State, now delivers 160 MW into the national grid, Sahara recently announced.
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