President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on improving the performance of Uzbekneftegaz during a meeting held on January 30.
Uzbekistan continues to implement measures aimed at strengthening energy security and ensuring a stable supply of energy resources, including natural gas, to the domestic market and key sectors of the economy. At the same time, growing demand from industry and the population has increased the need to identify new reserves, improve the efficiency of existing fields, and bring new deposits into operation.
Within this context, Uzbekneftegaz has been tasked with notably improving its performance and introducing modern operational and management approaches. According to the presentation, the company’s enterprises produced 25.2bn cubic meters of natural gas in 2025, drilled 56 new wells, and carried out major workovers at 29 wells.
Plans for 2026–2027 include maintaining stable natural gas production volumes while implementing more than 300 geological and technical measures. The presentation outlined a range of priority tasks required to achieve these targets.
These include improving the effectiveness of geological exploration and geological and technical measures, increasing reserves, ensuring stable production levels, and streamlining procurement procedures. Measures are also planned to develop a full value chain through advanced gas processing, expand the production of import-substituting and export-oriented products, and improve the financial position of the company and its subsidiaries.
The company will prioritize improving operational efficiency, including strengthening financial stability through the divestment of non-core assets, discontinuation of sponsorship payments, and cost optimization. Additional focus will be placed on the digitalization of production processes, the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies, the strengthening of internal control and compliance systems, enhanced oversight of financial flows, and the prevention of corruption and conflicts of interest.
The discussion also addressed man-made incidents that occur during geological exploration, including in the Surkhandarya region. It was noted that such situations are part of the complex process of searching for new promising deposits and occur globally. Officials reported that measures are being taken to manage such situations in Uzbekistan.
President instructed responsible officials to ensure that all assigned tasks and planned activities are implemented on the basis of precise calculations, strict discipline, and personal responsibility. He also directed that special attention be given to strengthening continuous monitoring in areas of geological exploration, introducing modern control technologies, and ensuring public safety.
In December 2024, the president convened a meeting to review the current situation in the gas sector and discuss measures to boost production. Uzbekneftegaz set a target of 26.5bn cubic meters of natural gas for 2025, compared with output of 32.2bn cubic meters in 2022.
Earlier Daryo reported that former Uzbekneftegaz board chairman Bakhodirjon Sidikov has reportedly been detained as part of an investigation into alleged large-scale embezzlement and abuse of office, according to local media citing unnamed sources. The case is being handled by Uzbekistan’s State Security Service.
Sidikov was removed from his post on December 17, 2025, after nearly four years at the helm and replaced by Uzbekhydroenergo head Abdugani Sanginov. Several other company executives are also reportedly under investigation following audits that allegedly uncovered embezzlement of state funds amounting to billions of soums.
