AfrOil: Libya top African oil producer in March with 1.24mn bpd, surpasses Nigeria, says OPEC

Libya was the top oil producer country for March with 1.24mn barrels per day (bpd), up by 5.7% month on month, OPEC data show. The North African country overtook Nigeria, which produced 1.23mn bpd in the same month, down 6.8% m/m.

Libya recorded the largest monthly increase in oil production in Africa last February, also surpassing that of Nigeria, which was historically the continent's largest producer.

Nigeria currently faces several challenges related to its oil industry, including oil theft and pipeline vandalism, oil spills, poor maintenance, limited refining capacity, corruption and prolonged unrest in the Niger Delta.

Although Libya holds Africa’s largest crude reserves, representing a major source of revenue, production has been frequently disrupted during the years of chaos since the ousting and killing of former dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. Libya was producing 1.6mn bpd before the 2011 uprising. Struggles between the rival administrations in Tripoli and the east have made oil production hostage to political developments.

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