By Abuja’s Folarin Kehinde
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has become one of the biggest sources of methane pollution in sub-Saharan Africa, which has sparked new worries about the nation’s climate obligations, environmental sustainability, and public health.
The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) organized a closed-door stakeholder discussion and documentary screening in Abuja where this was revealed.
Nigeria was responsible for almost 16% of sub-Saharan Africa’s methane emissions between 2010 and 2020, according to data presented at the meeting.
In 2023 alone, the nation flared almost five billion cubic feet of gas, making it one of the top gas-flaring countries in the world.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change and is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide during a 20-year period.
Long-term exposure to gas flaring and methane leaks has worsened respiratory ailments, damaged farmlands, and decreased fish stocks, according to inhabitants of oil-producing villages in the Niger Delta.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Tengi George-Ikoli, Nigeria Country Manager of NRGI, recognized that the Federal Government has undertaken regulatory reforms and made policy promises to combat methane emissions, especially after the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was passed in 2021.
However, she emphasized that insufficient enforcement and low accountability have restricted the impact of these reforms on host communities.
Communities that produce oil and gas are facing a disconnect between the goals of legislation and actual results. Methane continues to be a daily health and livelihood concern despite Nigeria’s obligations, according to George-Ikoli.
According to her, Nigeria has implemented upstream, middle, and downstream methane controls and committed to reducing methane emissions under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Experts at the workshop underlined that the effectiveness of these measures will depend primarily on enforcement, implementation and coordination with host communities.
Mr. Tijah Bolton, Executive Director of Policy Alert, cautioned that Nigeria’s standing as one of the top gas-flaring nations in the world would have an impact on the country’s economy.
Bolton stated, “Nigeria has made significant commitments on methane, but those promises will not deliver results without transparency and enforcement.”
He went on to say that further inaction could jeopardize livelihoods and community health as well as jeopardize Nigeria’s economic future, particularly because new EU methane restrictions raise the bar for market entry.
In a similar vein, Mr. Akintunde Babatunde, Executive Director of CJID, emphasized the necessity of more robust oversight.
“Going forward, it will be crucial to strengthen monitoring systems, ensure independent verification, and involve the media and host communities in oversight,” he stated.
Stakeholders expressed hope that methane reduction is feasible and economical despite the dire numbers, pointing out that current technologies can drastically reduce emissions, frequently at little or no net cost when captured gas is used.
Experts concurred that resolving enforcement and accountability gaps will be essential to lowering emissions, safeguarding communities, and rebuilding public confidence as Nigeria moves on with its plans for gas expansion and energy transition.
