Dr. Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Environment, has voiced his disappointment at the lack of solid advancements in decreasing Gas Flaring in Nigeria despite continuous initiatives. During the Third National Extractive Dialogue on Gas Flare Reduction 2024 in Abuja, Salako stated his concerns regarding the sluggish rate of progress. Spaces for Change, in collaboration with the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), hosted an event titled Driving Nigeria Towards Net Zero Emission and Sustainable Development. The Ford Foundation also provided support for the event.
During his speech, he restated the country’s dedication to stopping gas flaring and stressed the significance of creating a favourable setting for this goal. He pointed out the concrete advancements achieved through Nigeria’s Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, initiated in 2016, to encourage Investment in gas-capturing technologies. Yet, he recognised that challenges still exist in meeting the country’s targets for reducing flaring by 2030. In the past, Salako pointed out that gas flaring was prevalent in the Nigerian oil and gas sector because of a lack of infrastructure.
Adherence to regulation will reduce risk to humans and the environment.
Consequently, gas has been consistently ignited in oil fields, causing the emission of dangerous pollutants into the air. The Minister emphasised limitations such as deficiencies in infrastructure, inadequate regulations, and technological limitations affecting advancement. He emphasised the importance of working closely with global partners and boosting funding towards Sustainable Energy initiatives to tackle these issues. Enforcement continues to be a difficult task despite attempts at regulation. Salako pointed out that many operators continue to flare because of the lack of strict penalties and the expensive nature of the resource capture and utilisation technologies.
While the nation’s stance on flaring has changed over time, it is still ranked among the top 10 countries globally. In 2023, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) reported the flaring of around 324 billion cubic feet, resulting in substantial economic loss and environmental harm, which has negatively impacted nearby communities’ health. Despite a small reduction compared to previous years, the National Gas Flare Tracker data reveals that the country still flared 148 billion cubic feet of gas.
Cooperation between sectors will address the impacts on climate change.
Production in the first half of 2024 reached about 7 million static cubic feet, showing a significant increase of around seven percent compared to the previous year’s figures. Salako noted in his address that significant advancements have yet to be made in the efforts to decrease flaring, which aligns with the views of the stakeholders. During her speech, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, the Executive Director of Spaces for Change, underlined the importance of the current dialogue and the crucial nature of reaching net-zero Emissions by 2060.
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s Climate Change Plan to discontinue gas burning by 2030, she emphasised the essential requirement for cooperation between different sectors to address the impacts of climate change and promote sustainable development. She is optimistic that NED2024 will establish a fresh benchmark for protecting the environment in the country’s extractive sector. Emphasising the importance of addressing climate change and protecting local ecosystems, a key focus will be improving regulatory measures and ensuring strict adherence to environmental standards. This will create a future where natural resources are carefully managed for the well-being of both current and future generations.
Related Article: Govt to curb gas flaring with facility
Moreover, the Minister emphasised the importance of adopting innovative technologies and enhancing public-private partnerships to accelerate progress in addressing flaring. By leveraging the expertise and resources of various stakeholders, significant strides can be made towards reducing flaring. He further stressed the need for more comprehensive data collection and monitoring to track better and address flaring activities. Implementing these strategies can achieve greater accountability and transparency, leading to more effective and Sustainable Solutions to combat gas flaring.