Nigeria committed to achieving just transition’to net-zero emissions

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Minister of State for Environment Iziaq Salako said Nigeria is committed to achieving just transition to net-zero emissions .
He said the commitment has shown significant attention on the global stage.
Salako stated this at the 3rd edition of National Extractives Dialogue (NED 2024), yesterday in Abuja .
The minister said the commitment is evident by the establishment of frontline advocacy initiatives following the signing of the Just Transition Declaration and the announcement of the ambitious 2060 net-zero goal in 2021, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow. “Following this declaration, Nigeria launched its Energy Transition Plan (ETP) on August 24, 2022, establishing the country’s strategy to reach a net-zero emissions energy system by 2060.”
He said, “At COP 28, in Dubai, UAE, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu further reinforced this commitment to end gas flaring and reduce methane emission in Nigeria when he directed the policy of reward and penalty for adherents and defaulters respectively. “The president further announced the launch of the Nigerian Carbon Market Initiative as part of Nigeria’s efforts to uphold its commitment to reducing emissions. This initiative is part of ur the broader African Carbon Market Initiative, aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s participation in global carbon markets”.
According to the him, gas flaring has been a common practice in the Nigerian oil and gas industry due to the absence of infrastructure to capture and utilize the associated gas. “As a result, gas has been continuously burned in oil fields, leading to the release of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Despite regulatory efforts, enforcing regulations has been challenging, and many operators still flare gas due to insufficient penalties and the high costs of gas capture and utilization technologies.
“Nigeria’s policies on gas firing has however evolved significantly over the years. Initially, the focus was on production maximization, with little regard for the environmental impact of gas flaring.”
Salako said Nigeria remains one of the top 10 countries in the world in terms of gas flaring volumes. “The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) reports that approximately 324 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas were flared in 2023, translating to significant economic losses and environmental damage. Though this volume represents a slight decrease from previous years, figures derived from the National Gas Flare Tracker shows that Nigeria has flared 148.7 million standard cubic feet of gas in the first 6 months of 2024 which is about 7% above the level for the same period in 2023.
“As a testament to our commitment to innovative solutions in this area, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) which is the regulatory arm of the Federal Ministry of Environment in the oil and gas sector, is playing a pivotal role in addressing gas flaring and methane emissions from the activities of the oil and gas industry players.
“The Nigerian Gas Flaring Tracker (NGFT), a key initiative of NOSDRA, serves as a cornerstone in the country’s environmental regulatory framework for the oil and gas industry.
This unique, technologically driven environmental regulatory tool is a satellite-based platform, that not only provides near real-time monitoring and tracking of gas flaring activities but also quantifies carbon emissions thereby enhancing transparency and accountability within the oil and gas”.
He said tackling gas flaring in Nigeria is still faced with multifaceted challenges including deficit of infrastructure for gas capture, storage and transportation, inadequate regulatory enforcement, inadequate investment, technological gaps and low community involvement.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment through its relevant departments and agencies is determined to work with other stakeholders through policy and regulatory strengthening, investment drive, technology transfer, private sector mobilization. capacity building, community engagement and other measures to turn the tide and put our country on a firm footing to end gas flaring as early as possible but not later than 2030.
“As the world collectively works towards achieving net-zero emissions to combat climate change, it is crucial for Nigeria to take a leading role in adopting sustainable practices within the extractive sector. “ The government’s strong commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as detailed in our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, serves as a testament to our unwavering dedication to this cause”.