Advancing Legal and Regulatory Methane Emissions Reforms in Nigeria's Oil and Gas Sector

The Nigerian government’s commitment to increasing gas exploitation and utilization for economic growth and energy security puts Nigeria’s climate goals at risk. Increasing natural gas poses a risk of increasing methane emissions. If not managed appropriately, this could undermine Nigeria’s economic competitiveness and exacerbate environmental and health concerns in gas-producing communities.

Recent government efforts to reduce emissions have laid an important foundation, yet significant opportunity remains to enhance and accelerate progress. Achieving key emission reduction milestones, such as the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, continues to present challenges, highlighting the need for sustained action and strengthened implementation.

With Nigeria’s renewed commitment to emission reduction, the government must establish and enforce robust legal and regulatory frameworks. Strengthening the implementation of existing policies will be key to ensuring progress. We must also hold oil and gas companies accountable for their national and global emissions reduction commitments. 

The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), in collaboration with the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, is organizing a policy dialogue to support government oversight actors. The engagement aims to translate sector pledges into action while aligning with emerging regulatory requirements in key export markets, such as the European Union’s methane regulations.

Key participants include civil society actors, media, oil and gas companies, as well as key methane emissions government institutions: National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (FMoPR), Federal Ministry of Environment (FMoE), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and others.

Expected outcomes

• Alignment between state and non-state actors, advancing a coordinated approach to methane governance.
• Deeper understanding of policy and legislative gaps, leading to the adoption of targeted reforms that strengthen methane emissions management.