Sahara Group, a top African energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has unveiled a plan to increase its upstream crude oil output to 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) over the next five years — a substantial addition to its portfolio as Nigeria works to restore full oil production and attract new investment.
The group aims to achieve this target by expanding exploration and production, supported by acquiring seven additional oil rigs and modernizing infrastructure in Nigeria and other African locations.
Leste Aihevba, Chief Technical Officer of Asharami Energy, Sahara Group’s upstream subsidiary, shared these details during an investor meeting at Africa Energy Week in Cape Town. He stated Sahara’s investments reflect its wider commitment to driving Africa’s energy transformation through collaboration and sustainable practices.
“The journey towards a secure and sustainable energy future for Africa cannot be travelled in silos,” Aihevba said. “Every refinery upgrade, every gas commercialization project, every power reform and community wealth accretion initiative must be part of a broader continental blueprint.”
Aihevba explained that Sahara’s infrastructure drive is already transforming its operations, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness across the energy value chain — from upstream to midstream and power.
“At Sahara Group, we continue to invest in the infrastructure needed to responsibly unlock Africa’s resources across our upstream, midstream, power, and infrastructure businesses,” he said.
The company confirmed that it has already taken delivery of two of the seven new rigs, with two more expected before the end of the year. The rigs are being deployed across Sahara’s fields in Nigeria to accelerate drilling and production timelines. The group’s goal is to raise output to 350,000 bpd of oil and 1 billion standard cubic feet (MMScf/d) of gas within five years.
One of the newly acquired rigs — a 2000-horsepower land rig named L-Buba — has already spudded a gas development well, while another is being mobilised for oil development drilling. The rigs will be managed by Arahas Global Oilfield Services, another Sahara Group subsidiary.
“This bold and strategic drive complements our efforts geared towards accelerating the pace from exploration to production, enhancing local content participation, and ensuring Africa efficiently develops the reserves that will power the continent’s growth and energy future,” Aihevba said.
He emphasized that Sahara’s upstream expansion is built on a “shared prosperity approach” that sees host communities and governments as partners in development.
“By matching our investments in infrastructure with the deployment of exceptional human capital, technology adoption, and cross-border partnerships, we are contributing meaningfully to Africa’s energy transition while ensuring no community is left behind,” he said.
The move comes amid improving crude production figures in Nigeria. According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the country’s output rose by 5.5% year-on-year in August 2025, averaging 1.43 million barrels per day, representing about 96% of its OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd.
Sahara’s aggressive production target also aligns with Nigeria’s national objective to boost oil output and reduce its dependence on imports as global demand gradually recovers. The company has been diversifying its energy footprint, with its Afam 2 Power Plant in Rivers State now generating 160 megawatts (MW) into the national grid — a sign of its growing influence across multiple energy segments.
Energy analysts note that Sahara’s investment push underscores a new phase in Africa’s upstream resurgence, driven by indigenous companies seeking to fill the investment gap left by international oil majors that have scaled back exploration projects in the region.
With seven new rigs, expanded technical capacity, and a growing regional footprint, Sahara appears to be positioning itself not just as a Nigerian energy player, but as a continental force capable of redefining Africa’s upstream future.