Nigeria Warns Oil Companies Over Gas Flare Violations
The Federal Government of Nigeria issued a stern warning to International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating within the country, urging them to comply with gas flare directives from various regulatory agencies. This announcement, made on Wednesday, highlighted the government’s commitment to ending gas flaring and holding oil companies accountable for their environmental impact.
Dr. Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Environment, disclosed this at the third edition of the National Extractive Dialogue 2024, organised by the non-governmental organisation Spaces-4-Change, in Abuja. Salako expressed concern over the widespread non-compliance among IOCs, despite a few firms adhering to the directives.
“Following my directive to NOSDRA (National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency) in March this year, while a few international oil companies and other operators are heeding the call of the government for gas flare transparency and accountability, most international oil companies are not responding. They expect to be called by NOSDRA, which reflects a disregard for Nigeria’s environmental sustainability agenda,” Salako stated.
The minister underscored that such disregard would not be tolerated, as Nigeria is dedicated to ending gas flaring, with specific targets in place. He emphasized that the government is imposing penalties on both IOCs and local operators to discourage the practice. Salako reiterated the operators’ responsibility to lead the charge in supporting Nigeria’s vision to eliminate gas flaring.
“Let me, therefore, use this platform to issue a strong warning from the Federal Ministry of Environment, acting on its mandate to secure a quality environment conducive to the good health and well-being of flora and fauna. We no longer tolerate such disregard to the legitimate call of NOSDRA. Operators in the Nigerian oil and gas sector have a responsibility to lead from the front, to support the vision of Nigeria to end gas flaring, not just in the interest of the country, but in the overall interest of our planet,” the minister declared.
Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Executive Director of Spaces-4-Change, called for collaboration among stakeholders to achieve Nigeria’s net zero target by 2050. She highlighted the severe social, economic, and environmental impacts of gas flaring, particularly on host communities, and stressed the importance of collective action to reduce emissions and unlock economic potential.
“The stakes are high. Gas flaring has far-reaching social, economic, and environmental impacts, particularly on our host communities that are here today. Gas flaring exacerbates global warming, leads to economic losses, and squanders our potential power generation capabilities. However, it is within our power to change that. By reducing gas flaring, we can significantly cut our carbon emissions, unlock economic value, and foster economic development that benefits all Nigerians. Through our collective efforts, we can propel Nigeria towards a sustainable future, ensuring our natural resources are managed responsibly for the benefit of present and future generations,” Ibezim-Ohaeri stated.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), presented data indicating a significant reduction in gas flaring over the past decade. According to NEITI’s latest report, 884 million standard cubic feet of gas were flared in 2011, compared to 249 million standard cubic feet in 2021, marking a 51.27% decline. Despite this progress, Orji stressed the need to meet Nigeria’s target of 100% gas flare elimination by 2025.
“Although this is a remarkable improvement, we must strive to meet our country’s target of 100 per cent gas flare elimination by 2025, which is just one year away and six years away from the global commitment of 2030,” Orji noted.
