The Nigerian Environment Ministry is calling for more transparency and accountability from international oil and gas companies regarding gas flaring emissions. Despite a slight decrease in gas flaring, Nigeria still ranks as one of the top ten countries in the world for gas flaring volumes. The government has made improvements in its approach to gas flaring policies, particularly with the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme introduced in 2016 to capture flare gas.
At the third National Extractives Dialogue in Abuja, Environment Minister Iziaq Kunle Salako highlighted the harmful pollutants released into the atmosphere due to gas flaring practices in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) is actively addressing gas flaring and methane emissions, using technological tools like the Nigerian Gas Flaring Tracker system to monitor and measure emissions in real-time.
Despite progress, challenges remain, including a lack of infrastructure for gas capture, regulatory enforcement, investment, technology, and community involvement. The ministry is committed to collaborating with stakeholders to eliminate gas flaring from hydrocarbon operations by 2030 by enhancing regulations, encouraging investment, technology transfer, capacity building, community engagement, and other measures. The ministry aims to improve transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector through these efforts.
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