Nigeria’s Upstream Decommissioning & Abandonment Regulations 2026: Key Changes and Commercial Implications

In this article, TEMPLARS Partner, Dayo Okusami, and Associates, Theo Eke and Anuoluwa Austine-Orimoloye, examine the key revisions introduced by the 2026 Regulations, including changes to Decommissioning and Abandonment Plan submission timelines, Fund establishment mechanics, and fund domiciliation requirements.

The publication also examines the growing commercial significance of decommissioning obligations in upstream mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and regulatory compliance, while providing practical insight into how the revised framework may affect upstream operators, investors, lenders, and counterparties engaging with Nigerian upstream assets.