Weak enforcement undermines Nigeria’s methane targets, report says

Weak enforcement is undermining Nigeria’s emissions targets as oil and gas companies continue to flare gas, according to a Premium Times special report. The report identifies methane emissions from the oil and gas sector as a problem linked to continued gas flaring. It says the failure to enforce existing requirements is weakening the country’s efforts to meet its stated emissions targets.

The supplied material does not provide figures for methane emissions, the volume of gas being flared or the number of companies involved. It also does not identify particular operators or describe individual enforcement cases. No company response, government response or explanation of penalties is included in the available information.

The report’s central finding is that the gap between Nigeria’s emissions goals and enforcement on the ground is allowing flaring to continue. The source material does not provide a timetable for improvement or quantify how much the targets have been affected. It supports the conclusion that lax enforcement and ongoing flaring are working against Nigeria’s emissions objectives, but not a more detailed assessment of the country’s methane performance.