- NEITI Urges Nigeria to Achieve Gas Flare Elimination by 2025 in Response to Projected Surge in Energy Demand.
- Nigeria’s NEITI Calls for Urgent Action on Gas Flaring as Population Growth and Energy Needs Accelerate.
NEITI has called on the Federal Government to eliminate gas flaring by 2025, citing projections of a substantial increase in Nigeria’s energy demand. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) emphasised that gas flaring had already been reduced by 50% in recent years.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary of NEITI, addressed stakeholders at the 3rd National Extractive Dialogue, which was themed “Gas Flare Reduction: Catalyst for Accelerating Nigeria’s Path to Net Zero Emission and Sustainable Development” and held in Abuja.
The event, held in collaboration with Spaces for Change (S4C) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), supported by the Ford Foundation, provided a platform to discuss strategies for advancing gas flare reduction, minimizing carbon footprint, and fostering sustainable development in affected communities.
Orji highlighted the urgency due to the United Nations’ projection that Nigeria’s population could exceed 260 million by 2030 and 400 million by 2050, coinciding with Nigeria’s net-zero emissions target of 2060. He stressed the need for Nigeria to align with global commitments, aiming for complete gas flare elimination by 2025, just six years ahead of the global 2030 target.
NEITI underscored Nigeria’s potential as a technology leader in leveraging its vast natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa and the 9th largest globally at over 200 trillion cubic feet. Orji, represented by NEITI’s Director (Technical), Dieter Bassey, advocated for severe timelines and clear plans to achieve Nigeria’s gas flare elimination goals.
Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Executive Director of Spaces for Change (S4C), emphasized the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of gas flaring, urging collaborative efforts across policymakers, industry leaders, academics, civil society, and community representatives to achieve Nigeria’s net-zero emissions goal by 2060.
His Royal Majesty Bubawaye Dakolo Agada IV, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, expressed concerns over ongoing gas flaring in the Niger Delta, highlighting its detrimental effects on local communities.
Dr. Adekunle Salako, Minister of State, criticized some international oil companies for not fully complying with government directives on reducing gas flaring, stressing their responsibility to lead efforts toward ending this harmful practice in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The stakeholders agreed on the imperative to address gas flaring comprehensively to mitigate its adverse effects, promote sustainable development, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2060.