Mr. Paul Olmsted reports

NORTHWEST ANNOUNCES 2026 DRILLING UNDERWAY AT KWANIKA

Drilling is under way at Northwest Copper Corp.'s 100-per-cent-owned Kwanika project, where three drill rigs were mobilized to target expansions and upgrades of both underground and open-pit mineral resources. The fully financed 2026 program is expected to target up to 10,000 metres of drilling.

Kwanika program highlights:

• Three drill rigs now turning at the Kwanika project;
• Up to 10,000 metres of drilling fully financed through the company's recent $13.8-million financing;
• Program focused on upgrading and expanding underground resources in the western zone;
• Drilling to confirm, infill and expand near-surface mineralization in the northern pit zone;
• Program designed to support a future mineral resource estimate and optimization opportunities beyond the upcoming preliminary economic assessment (PEA).

Paul Olmsted, chief executive officer of the company, commented: "We are thrilled to be back drilling at Kwanika in 2026 following the success of our 2025 exploration program. Our recent financing has fully funded up to a 10,000-metre drill campaign focused on increasing resource confidence both near surface and underground, while targeting opportunities to expand the open-pit resource. We believe these initiatives will further strengthen our understanding of Kwanika's copper-gold potential, and we look forward to reporting results as they become available, as well as identifying potential opportunities to unlock additional value."

The 2026 drill program is designed to target both expansions to Kwanika's resource base and increase confidence in existing copper-gold mineral resources while providing opportunities to improve upon the upcoming PEA, which is expected in the near term.

Drilling is expected to continue through the end of July, with assay results anticipated later this summer. The company is also evaluating opportunities to extend the program into the fall, including securing additional drill contractors. Any extension would focus on additional infill and expansion drilling in the northern pit zone to further define near-surface mineralization that remains open.

Geoff Chinn, vice-president of business development and exploration, stated: "We are extremely pleased to have three drills turning, particularly given the strong demand for, and challenges with, securing drill contractors this year. We have a substantial inventory of planned drill holes and intend to complete as many as possible this field season. The 2026 drill program has been designed using the higher-grade geology model and recently completed mineral resource estimate (1), both of which are supporting the upcoming PEA.

"A key priority is the western zone, where we are targeting higher-grade mineralization to improve our confidence in the existing underground mineral resource and further support bulk underground mining methods. Our improved geological understanding suggests historical drilling of the northern extension of the mineralized system was poorly oriented, representing a significant opportunity to improve both the continuity and potential extension of the open-pit mineral resources at Kwanika. We are already considering extending open-pit drilling by an additional 400 metres next year. We also believe the recently reported palladium results will further enhance our understanding of the project's structural controls, correlations and metal zonation that would further derisk the geological interpretations supporting mineral resources."

2026 drill program details

At Kwanika, two drill rigs are targeting deep holes in the western zone, progressing from east to west locations, while a third rig is focused on shallow holes in the pit zone, progressing from south to north. The company has laid out 14 holes totalling 8,600 metres in the western zone and 27 holes totalling 5,675 metres in the pit zone, totalling 14,275 metres, however, given current drill constraints, the company is only expecting to drill up to 10,000 metres during the 2026 season assuming it can extend it beyond July.

The company will provide additional updates on the drill program as results become available over the coming months.

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by Geoff Chinn, PGeo, vice-president of business development and exploration for Northwest, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects.

About Northwest Copper Corp.

Northwest is a copper-gold exploration and development company with a pipeline of advanced and early-stage projects in British Columbia, including Kwanika-Stardust, Lorraine-Top Cat and East Niv. With a robust portfolio in an established mining jurisdiction, Northwest is well positioned to participate fully in strengthening global copper and gold markets. The company is committed to responsible mineral exploration, working collaboratively with first nations to help ensure future development incorporates stewardship best practices and respects traditional land use.

(1) See the National Instrument 43-101 technical report, titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Mineral Resource Update at the Kwanika-Stardust Project, British Columbia, Canada," dated April 16, 2026, with an effective date of Feb. 27, 2026, filed under the company's SEDAR+ profile.

We seek Safe Harbor.