Despite efforts to commercialise Nigeria’s gas and plans to start supplying gas to Europe via Morocco, an estimated $13.3 billion or N4 trillion worth of gas was flared in the last 10 years, the Nigerian gas flare tracker of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) report showed.
Between 2012 and 2021, Nigeria flared 3.8 billion standard cubic feet (scf) both onshore and offshore according to the report.
NOSDRA estimated that Nigeria flared gas valued at $13.3 billion in the last decade. This amount when converted to Naira, using exchange rates in the last 10 years, puts the cumulative value at N4 trillion.
In the last 10 years, Nigeria cut gas flaring by 31 percent, far below the nation’s estimated target. This was largely due to the inability of President Buhari’s administration to kickstart the gas flare commercialisation programme approved by the government in 2016.
Collins Obi, an energy specialist, explained that with Western nations imposing sanctions on Russian gas consumption following the Moscow invasion of Russia, gas security is now a priority in Europe.
“Thus, Nigeria needs to position itself for the economic growth opportunity this presents,” he said.
A corporate intelligence lead at GAS360, Oreoluwa Owolabi said the amount of gas flaring going on in Nigeria highlighted its riches in gas and other energy resources but poor energy management and supply techniques.
“We need to invest in infrastructure to distribute the gas to where it would be commercially viable. This could be for export or pipelines across the country for electricity generation,” he said. “It requires a government-led effort, and the government has already taken some steps towards stopping flaring by 2030.”
He, however, added that because international communities have started accepting gas as a necessary fuel.
“This can be used to accelerate Africa’s net-zero transition and there would be more funds available for gas projects, which can partially finance our infrastructure development,” Owolabi added.