NGRI Seeks Modern Technologies, Reforms to Cut Methane Emissions 

Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), an organisation which supports informed decision-making on nations’ resources and the energy transition, has urged Nigeria to adopt the right technologies and reforms to cut methane emissions in the oil sector.

This was disclosed in Abuja at a policy dialogue themed: “Strengthening Public Accountability and Compliance in Methane Emissions Management in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector”, which brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector, including the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Speaking at the event, Senior Officer and Team Lead, NRGI Nigeria, Tengi George-Ikoli, said the dialogue was aimed at identifying gaps and pushing for harmonised methane emissions regulation across upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. 

She warned that Nigeria’s access to European energy markets could be compromised under the European Union’s impending methane emissions standards if reforms are not urgently pursued.

“Nigeria trades about 47 per cent of its oil and gas resources with the EU. If we do not put the right technologies and laws in place, we risk losing access to these markets,” she cautioned.

According to her, if Nigeria is to pursue gas as a transition fuel, it must make the case convincingly—by strengthening its methane governance framework so that this pathway remains realistic, competitive, and aligned with global standards and climate imperatives.

“Methane, as we may know, is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term, and a significant amount of Nigeria’s methane emissions come from the oil and gas sector. Without deliberate and sustained action to reduce these emissions, we risk undermining our own national climate goals—and compromising the health and wellbeing of frontline communities across the Niger Delta and beyond,” she argued.

According to her, methane emissions have environmental, economic and social consequences that have enormous impact for those who live in the societies and communities as well as Nigeria’s ability to access global markets to sell its oil and gas resources.

Although Nigeria had set targets to eliminate gas flaring by 2020,  she noted that the country has continued to shift the goalpost, explaining that the NGRI is now advocating the National Council on Climate Change to continue to track progress on the agreed targets.

“It puts our potential credibility at risk on the global stage if we don’t meet them and also puts the health of our citizens at risk who suffer from cardiovascular or respiratory issues if methane emissions are not reduced,” she argued.