A POST circulating on social media claims that Nigeria is the 5th largest oil producer globally, using the assertion to critique the country’s economic management and socio-economic conditions.
The post was made in response to a post shared on X by a content creator @dammiedammie35, expressing shock over learning that Nigerians live in Iraq.
Reacting to the post, the verified X user, @Mr_Kyalo_ posted: “Nigeria is a failed state I say this not out of disrespect. Hear me out, Nigeria is the 5th largest oil producer in the world and yet a good majority of their citizens languish in poverty, While others slave in Arabian countries working as house girls Despite all that oil!”
As of 23 September 2026, the post has generated over 2100 views, 30 likes, and retweets.
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CLAIM
Nigeria is the 5th largest oil producer in the world.
FINDINGS
It is important to distinguish between oil production and oil reserves, as the two terms refer to different things.
Oil production refers to the amount of crude oil extracted from the ground and brought into the supply chain for use or sale.
Oil reserves, on the other hand, refer to the estimated quantity of oil that can potentially be recovered from known underground deposits. These estimates are based on geological assessments and available data, so they do not represent a precise measurement of all the oil beneath a country’s territory.
Consequently, having large oil reserves does not necessarily mean a country produces the most oil. A country may possess substantial underground reserves but produce relatively little, while another with smaller reserves may extract and supply significantly more oil.
To verify the claim, we consulted the Statistical Review of World Energy, an annual publication that has provided data on global energy markets since 1952.
It’s produced by the Energy Institute in partnership with Ember and in collaboration with consulting firms Kearney and KPMG. Data compilation is undertaken by Wattage Consulting.
The review’s 2026 edition, released in June, indicates that in 2025 the top two producers of oil were the US (889.9 million tonnes) and Saudi Arabia (535.8 million tonnes).
Statistical Review of World Energy: top oil producers in 2025
| Rank | Country | Production in million tonnes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 889.9 |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 535.8 |
| 3 | Russia | 523.3 |
| 4 | Canada | 302.2 |
| 5 | Iran | 242.1 |
Nigeria produced 84.0 million tonnes of oil in 2025, representing 1.8% of global production. That places it well outside the top five. Nigeria ranks around 14th globally in oil production.
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VERDICT
The claim that Nigeria is the 5th largest oil producer in the world is FALSE. Data from the 2026 Statistical Review of World Energy, which covers 2025 production figures, shows that Nigeria was not among the world’s five largest oil producers. The country ranked around 14th globally in oil production.
Seasoned writer and literary curator, Zainab Abdulrasaq is a factchecker for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached on IG @blackbookishgirl or zabdulrasaq@icirnigeria.org
