Energy
Gas Flaring: Stakeholders Urge Stronger Enforcement, Tracking
A call has gone to the operators in Nigeria’s extractive sector to embrace strict governance principles to avert gas production coming at heavy human and environmental costs and consequences.
Stakeholders raised concerns over methane emissions and gas flaring in the Niger Delta, on Tuesday during a webinar titled “Leveraging Media Storytelling to Strengthen Accountability and Enforcement on Methane Emissions.”
The event was put together as part of an advocacy campaign to amplify Flaring Lives, a documentary that exposes the human cost of methane emissions in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities.
ALSO READ: DPRP Refutes PMS Re-importation Claims
The documentary, co-produced by Policy Alert and We The People, with support from the Natural Resource Governance Institute, chronicles the environmental, health and socio-economic impacts of decades of gas flaring and methane emissions on residents of the Niger Delta.
During the virtual event, the Country Manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Tengi George-Ikoli, said Nigeria currently faces the challenge of balancing its gas expansion agenda with its commitments to reduce methane emissions and eliminate routine gas flaring.
According to her, while methane is often discussed as a climate issue, communities living close to oil and gas facilities experience its effects daily through poor air quality, health challenges, environmental degradation and declining livelihoods.
She said, “Nigeria is currently pursuing two ambitions at the same time. On one hand, we are seeking to expand gas production and position gas as a key part of our economic and energy future. On the other, we have made significant commitments to reduce methane emissions, eliminate routine gas flaring, and contribute to global climate goals.
“The challenge is whether these ambitions can be delivered together, and at what cost if they are not.
“For communities living near oil and gas facilities, methane is not an abstract climate issue. It is connected to the air they breathe, the health risks they face, the quality of their farmland and fishing waters, and their everyday experience of living alongside extraction activities.”
George-Ikoli further noted that methane emissions have increasingly become an economic concern as international markets tighten environmental requirements for oil and gas producers.
She explained that major export destinations, particularly in Europe, are beginning to assess not only the volume of energy products supplied but also the environmental conditions under which they are produced.
“The stakes extend beyond local communities. Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases driving near-term warming. It is also becoming an economic issue.
“New international regulations, including emerging methane requirements in major export markets such as the European Union, mean that countries and companies will increasingly be judged not only by what they produce, but by how they produce it,” she stated.
While acknowledging progress made by the Federal Government and industry players through new methane regulations, reporting requirements and improved emissions disclosures, she stressed that policy commitments alone would not solve the problem.
“Progress on paper is not the same as progress in practice. The real test lies in implementation. Are commitments being met? Are emissions being measured accurately? Are regulations being enforced consistently? And most importantly, are the experiences of affected communities reflected in the decisions being made?” she asked.
The NRGI official outlined several measures needed to ensure Nigeria successfully aligns its gas development strategy with methane reduction targets.
She said, “First, enforcement must become stronger and more consistent. Regulations only matter if there are consequences for non-compliance.
“Second, the sector needs a credible and unified approach to measuring methane emissions. You cannot effectively reduce what you cannot accurately measure. A common baseline and robust measurement standards are essential for tracking progress and building trust in reported figures.
“Third, companies should be required not only to disclose their methane emissions, but to actively manage and reduce them. Transparency is important, but disclosure must ultimately lead to action.
“Fourth, initiatives such as the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme have an important role to play and should be accelerated. Every cubic foot of gas captured and put to productive use is gas that is not wasted through flaring.
“Fifth, stronger monitoring, reporting and verification systems are needed across the entire oil and gas value chain. Independent verification and effective oversight are critical if emissions reductions are to be credible.”
She emphasised that the success of methane reduction efforts should not be measured solely by emissions data but by improvements in the quality of life of host communities.
“Community well-being must remain at the centre of decision-making. The success of any methane reduction strategy should not be measured only by tonnes of emissions avoided, but also by whether it improves the lives of the people most directly affected,” she added.
George-Ikoli described Flaring Lives as an attempt to humanise a debate often dominated by statistics and policy targets.
According to her, “The documentary seeks to bring forward voices that are often missing from conversations about energy, development and climate policy.
“Our hope is that it serves not only as a film, but as a resource for journalists, advocates, researchers and citizens seeking to understand what these issues mean in human terms.”
In the same vein, Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan, said communities in the Niger Delta have endured the burden of gas flaring for more than six decades, with devastating consequences for public health, agriculture and fisheries.
He said the documentary was designed to provoke reflection and drive accountability among government agencies and industry operators.
“For over six decades, the flames of gas flaring have lit up the night skies of the Niger Delta, a daily reminder of the huge burden borne by oil-producing communities.
“Flaring Lives is not just a documentary; it is a tool for introspection and accountability because behind every flare stack are communities battling respiratory illnesses, contaminated farmlands, vanishing fish stocks and a climate that grows more hostile by the year.
“This is the human cost we are here to talk about today, and it is one Nigeria can no longer afford to wish away,” Bolton-Akpan stated.
He lamented that gas flaring, venting and fugitive methane emissions had long been regarded as unavoidable consequences of oil production, while affected communities continued to bear the environmental and health impacts.
“For decades, gas flaring, venting and fugitive emissions have been treated as an acceptable cost of doing business, while the communities living in their shadow are treated as collateral. That view must change.
“Every day that we allow emissions from these sources to continue unchecked is a day stolen from the health, the environment and the future of these communities.
“The conversation can no longer be about whether this harm is happening; it is about why it is still allowed to happen,” he said.
Bolton-Akpan also challenged journalists and media organisations to intensify investigative reporting on methane emissions and gas flaring, saying the media has a crucial role in exposing environmental abuses and holding both regulators and operators accountable.
“We are calling on media editors and journalists in this room to be more than witnesses; be amplifiers of truth.
“Carry these stories beyond this webinar. Investigate the emission numbers and give voice to the communities whose lungs and livelihoods are the true cost of every cubic metre of gas burned into our atmosphere.
“Policy Alert, alongside our partners, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Extractives 360 and others, will not relent in pushing for transparency, enforcement and justice,” he added.
Nigeria remains one of the world’s major gas-flaring countries despite years of government commitments to end the practice. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is recognised as one of the most potent greenhouse gases because of its significant warming effect over a short period.
The Federal Government has introduced a series of measures, including methane regulations and the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, aimed at reducing routine flaring, improving gas utilisation and supporting the country’s energy transition goals.
However, civil society groups and environmental advocates have repeatedly argued that weak enforcement, inadequate monitoring and poor accountability mechanisms continue to undermine progress, particularly in oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta, where residents bear the environmental and health consequences of emissions from oil and gas operations.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and CNL Joint Venture, has stressed the importance of strengthening the regulatory framework in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to enhance growth opportunities.
Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron companies in Nigeria and the Mid Africa Region, Jim Swartz, made this known at the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS) in Abuja on Wednesday August 19, 2026.
Represented by Segun Kuteyi, Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Chevron Nigeria and Mid Africa Region, Jim noted that Nigeria remains one of the world’s most resource-rich energy nations, with substantial oil reserves, abundant natural gas, a strategic location, and a skilled workforce, adding that these strengths position the country for sustained growth and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.
READ ALSO: PTDF Identifies Human Capital as Critical to Nigeria’s Energy Security
He remarked that resources alone are not enough to guarantee success and emphasized that what makes the difference is the environment in which investments, businesses, and people operate. “A predictable, transparent, and efficient regulatory framework builds confidence; and confidence attracts investment, drives innovation, creates jobs, and supports economic growth,’ he stated.
Jim emphasized that regulatory certainty could be a catalyst for investor commitments and noted that in Chevron, regulatory reforms in the industry continue to enable its growth opportunities post-Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, with key drivers being exploration and new discoveries, infill drilling and brownfield optimisation as well as monetisation and integrated developments
According to him, some of the company’s key achievements include the renewal and conversion of its Joint Venture and Deepwater leases; continued investment in exploration, asset and gas development, and monetisation; the recent Chevron’s acquisition of Deepwater block, Petroleum Prospecting License (PPL 2010); equity investments in recent announcements by Shell on Bonga Southwest/Aparo (BSWAP), and ExxonMobil on Owowo/Usan and the sustained social investments and community partnerships for over six decades.
While emphasizing the importance of safety, collaboration and human dimension in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, he stated that the industry challenges could be addressed through strengthening regulatory certainty, advancing transparency and accountability, driving investment across the value chain and promote collaboration across the industry, supporting innovation and digital transformation and building workforce capability and future-ready skills.
“At Chevron, we believe people are our greatest asset. No regulatory framework can fully succeed without a capable, motivated, and protected workforce. That is why forums such as PEALS are important: they bring government, labour, and industry together to align on shared goals and deepen mutual understanding,” he remarked.
Nigeria has mined over 4.6 billion barrels of crude oil from deep offshore assets worth over 5,000 tankers.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), revealed this on Tuesday Live on NTA hosted by Cyril Stober.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Development and Production of the NUPRC, Engineer Enorense Amadasu, asserted that the achievement was made possible by the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Project Incentives (Tax Remission) Executive Order (EO) 2026 recently signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She added that the EO has the potential not only to unlock $50bn in investments but can also create an additional one million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate from deep offshore fields.
Eyesan explained that the reform establishes a transparent, rules-based investment framework capable of supporting the next generation of deep offshore developments.
READ ALSO: FG, NADDC Empower NYSC Members in South-East with CNG Conversion Skills
She noted that presently, Nigeria produces about 1.7mbpd of crude oil and condensate but deep offshore accounts for just about 24 percent of total oil production and 19 percent of gas.
Eyesan pointed out that with Field Development Plans (FDPs) running into billions of dollars already approved by the NUPRC, the executive order will encourage IOCs to make quicker Final Investment Decisions (FIDs).
“So, where will these volumes be coming from? Nine of these projects have approved FDPs so the next step expected is the FID in the near to midterm.
The $10bn Bonga South will come in 2027 and within the next four to five years, we are expecting almost an additional one million barrels additional per day,” she stated.
According to Eyesan, the executive order also presents an opportunity for other sectors like the marine economy which will need to expand Nigeria’s logistics/marine base so the country can sustain the volume of deep offshore projects being expected.
“It aims to make Nigeria the regional hub for deep offshore projects,” Eyesan said.
Other benefits of the executive order as explained by CCE include: growth in reserves, technological/skills transfer and new jobs.
Brent crude closed above $90 per barrel on Monday as Iran threatened to launch a military offensive in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomatic efforts to end its war with the United States fail.
The benchmark Brent crude was quoted at $90.53 per barrel as of Monday evening, gaining $2.01, or 2.27 per cent, according to oilprice.com. US West Texas Intermediate crude also climbed to $84.25 per barrel, up $1.85, or 2.25 per cent.
According to Reuters, the rise followed renewed tensions around the strategic Strait of Hormuz after a senior Iranian official told the news agency that Tehran had shifted its policy from defensive to “fully offensive” because of a deadlock in efforts to secure a permanent end to the war.
The official said Iran was prepared to take military action in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomatic efforts failed. “Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions,” the official told Reuters.
READ ALSO: DPRP Receives $1bn Guarantees for Upcoming IPO
He added that Tehran would conduct a “timely and precise” military attack to break the United States naval blockade if diplomacy failed.
The development threatens to further disrupt tanker movements through Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, at a time when efforts to restore oil traffic through the waterway have stalled.
According to Reuters, progress towards peace talks and the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt, with neither side showing signs of moving towards an end to the conflict.
The latest escalation came on the day Iran and the United States were expected to reach a final agreement under a memorandum of understanding signed in June.
The June 17 memorandum provided a 60-day timeframe for Washington and Tehran to reach a broader agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.
The interim agreement, which called for the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts”, however, quickly collapsed over disagreements concerning control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway, which is shared by Iran and Oman, is a major route for global energy supplies. It was reported that about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed through the strait before the war.
Tehran maintains that the June agreement gave it the right to manage the waterway, while Washington rejected that interpretation.
The dispute subsequently contributed to the resumption of hostilities, with Iran firing on vessels it said were attempting to sail through the strait using an unauthorised route.
US President Donald Trump subsequently declared on July 7 that the agreement was over.
The Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had now given the United States only a short period to implement all the provisions of the agreement before further negotiations could take place.
“Within the short period of a few weeks set by Iran, all the agreement’s provisions must be implemented by the U.S. This is a precondition for further negotiations with the US,” the official said.
Mediators are expected to communicate Iran’s deadline to Washington and other regional countries. Iran is also separately negotiating with Oman over the management of the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran saying the two countries are close to an agreement despite slow progress.
The situation was further complicated by Trump’s warning to Oman during a phone interview with Fox News on Monday. “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
Earlier, Trump said Iran should surrender, telling Fox News that Tehran “should put up the white flag of surrender”. The renewed threats have heightened concerns over the security of shipping through Hormuz and helped push crude prices higher on Monday.
The price movement also comes after oil had traded below the $80 mark earlier in the month amid expectations that tensions around the waterway could ease. Monday’s Brent price of $90.53 therefore represented a fresh rise above the $90 threshold, while WTI stood at $84.25 per barrel.
C’River: Man Takes Own Life Inside Obudu Market, Community Demands N300,000 Cleansing Fee
“Tinubu Deserves to Be President for Long, Long Time” — Olubadan
JUST IN: Midnight Fire Razes Nearly 300 Shops in Ibadan Market
DPRP’s Free Fuel Delivery Expands to Kano, Imo, Nearly 10 More States
Nollywood Mourns as Veteran Actor Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’ Dies at 66
APC Sweeps Ebonyi LG Polls as Umahi’s Son, 12 Others Emerge Chairmen
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart
