…NEITI tasks Nigeria on zero gas flare in 2025
Gas flaring in the Niger Delta continues unabated, causing significant harm to local communities, according to His Royal Majesty Bubawaye Dakolo Agada IV, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and Ibemanaweri of Ekpetiama Kingdom.
He highlighted this issue at the National Extractive Dialogue 2024, organized by Spaces for Change, the Ford Foundation, and the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in Abuja.
The event focused on the theme: “Gas Flare Reduction: Catalyst for Accelerating Nigeria’s Path to Net-Zero Emissions and Sustainable Development.”
Stressing the menace has not abated, he said: “So for most of us we have not seen any sign of reduction in gas flaring so far. In 2021, the Petroleum Industry Act was passed and as you all know that particular act started as a bill about 20 years earlier. It was this big when it started and then when it was passed it was this small.”
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He further noted: “Let me let everyone here know that where I live, to the most polluting gas flare in the world is just a kilometre.
“It was burning when I left the Ikiteoma kingdom on Monday. And it is still burning now. For all the flares that I have known, well over 150 of them before PIA they are all still burning out as we speak.”
The monarch who described it as a misconception to say gas flaring has reduced, said the menace is as persistent as it was before the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
He said since the law gives the operators the option of paying fines for gas flares, they lean on the leverage to perpetuate the crime against the host communities.
He described the PIA as a dangerous document from the perspective of the communities.
According to him, it is a misconception to say gas flare will be taken to the market because it is impossible as flared gas means burnt gas.
Dakolo said: “Inside just as PIA may imply is a Petroleum Industry Act. It is an Act that is meant for the operators of the industry leaving us completely out.
“And so, it is more like a dangerous document so far from the community’s point of view. Why am I saying so?
“It says very nicely in section 104 that gas should not be flared, however, it goes down to say if you flare gas, you could flare as much as you want to flare and pay your so-called penalty of $2 for 1000 standard cubic feet of gas flared or 50cent of the same volume flared if you are a small operator the way royalties are paid.”
He revealed how Shell Petroleum Development Company (SDPC) notified him of its plan to flare gas in his community in August.
The monarch, who noted he would not prevent the oil giant since the PIA allowed the gas flare to the peril of the lives of the communities, threatened to video the gas flare.
According to him, gas flare still takes place under the nose of the communities unchecked.
He said: “And then last week on Thursday, Shell came to discuss with me that they are planning another flaring because they want to test well less than 50 meters from people’s houses, about 150 meters from my palace.
“And they say they came to solicit my support and I said what do you mean? Support! How can you get support from me? If you leave it to me, you won’t even do it. “However, I can’t tell you not to flare because, the Federal Government wants all the money even though at the cost of our blood.
” So, you will flare there is no doubt about it but just be rest assured that once the flaring starts in August, it is going to happen next month, I am going to bring cameras, I am going to bring videographers, I am going to bring everybody to videograph your activities all through. That is what I am going to do.”
Speaking, Space for Change, Executive Director, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said since Nigeria has targeted 2060 as its year of energy transition, owing to climate change and also targeting to stop gas flaring, collaborative actions have become expedient.
She also said in a world that is increasingly focused on sustainability, Nigeria is standing at a critical junction.
Meanwhile, NEITI Executive Secretary, Drm Orji Ogbonnaya Orji tasked the country with zero gas flare in 2025.
He said with the United Nations projection of Nigeria’s population to rise to over 260 million in 2030 and over 400 million by 2050, which is just ten years away from the country’s net zero target of 2060, NEITI predicts an upsurge in Nigeria’s energy demand that may surpass 47% projected global increase by the same period in 2050.
Orji, who was represented by Dieter Bassey said the theme of this Dialogue is therefore of huge interest to NEITI as an agency because the right time to table the issue of gas flaring as a national agenda for public discussion is now.
He added: “At a time when Nigeria is grappling with huge energy gaps, the global transition to renewable energy creates an even greater need for this timely intervention.
“NEITI highly commends the Spaces for Change for bringing this issue to the front burner.
NEITI recognises that Nigeria needs to position itself as the technology frontier to take full advantage of the opportunities that lie in the energy transition journey especially as relates to gas production, utilization, gas flaring and carbon emission reduction. The opportunities are in the areas of investments in technology and innovation that will ensure a Just Transition to net zero emission by 2060.
“Nigeria has identified natural gas as its transition fuel. At over 200 trillion cubic feet, Nigeria has the largest gas reserves in Africa and the 9th largest in the world. With increasing new gas discoveries on the way from ongoing frontier explorations across the country, the role that gas will play in Nigeria’s energy transition discussion cannot be over-emphasized.
*Historically, the legal framework for combating gas flaring in Nigeria is embedded in the under-listed several policies, laws, and regulations; The 1999 Nigerian Constitution: The Environmental Impact Assessment Act 1992, Criminal Code Act CAP. C38 LFN 2004: Sections 245 and 247: Associated Gas Reinjection (Continued Flaring of Gas 1984) Regulation; The Nigeria Gas Master Plan 2008; The Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialization Programme 2017 and several others. We have similar laws on Carbon Emission.”