Nigeria would increase its crude oil production if OPEC requested higher output, NNPC said yesterday.

Oil prices last month rose to their highest point in more than two years as a brewing civil war in Libya cut
out as much as two-thirds of the North African country’s oil output, or one million barrels per day (bpd).

Nigeria’s light, sweet crude oil, is similar to the type of oil produced by Libya and would be a good
replacement for European refiners, who are lacking adequate supplies because of the North African crisis.

“We will do whatever OPEC asks its members to do. Whatever is needed under OPEC directives,” NNPC spokesman
Levi Ajuonoma said. He said Nigeria had the spare capacity to increase its production if needed but did not
state by how much.