Michael Eboh
Dublin, Ireland — Nigeria lost $408.7 million, about N560.328 billion, to gas flaring in four months, as oil and gas firms burnt 116.8 billion standard cubic feet (SCF) of gas between January and April 2026, according to latest data released by the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA).
NOSDRA, in its gas flare report for the four-month period of 2026, disclosed that the amount lost to gas flaring in the review period was 7.97 per cent lower than the $444.1 million lost to flaring in the same period in 2025.
The environmental watchdog further stated that in the four-month period of 2026, the offending firms were liable for penalty payment of $233.6 million, an equivalent of N320.266 billion, using an exchange rate of N1,371 to a dollar.
It added that the gas flared in the four-month period of 2026 contributed 6.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, while the gas flared was also capable of generating 11,700 gigawatts hour (GWh) of electricity.
In comparison, between January and April 2025, oil and gas firms flared 126.9 billion SCF (BSCF) of gas valued at $444.1 million, about N608.861 billion; with penalties payable at $253.8 million, an equivalent of N347.959 billion; while the quantity flared contributed 6.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and had power generation potential of 12,700 GWh.
Giving a breakdown of gas flared data across segments of the oil-producing space from January to April 2026, NOSDRA reported that companies operating onshore accounted for 68.24 percent of total gas flared with 79.7 billion SCF of gas.
It added that the volume of gas flared onshore was valued at $278.9 million, about N382.372 billion; had power generation potential of 8,000 GWh; contributed 4.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, while the companies were liable to pay penalties of $159.4 million, about N218.537 billion.
However, the volume of gas flared by companies operating onshore from January to April 2026 was 6.13 per cent lower than the 84.9 billion SCF of gas flared in the same four-month period in 2025, which was valued at $297.1 million (N407.324 billion), with penalties payable at $169.8 million, about N232.796 billion; contributed 4.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, and had power generation capacity of 8,500 GWh.
On the other hand, NOSDRA reported that companies operating offshore accounted for 31.76 per cent of total gas flared between January and April 2026, with 37.1 billion SCF of gas, valued at $129.8 million, an equivalent of N177.956 billion; penalties payable at $74.2 million (N101.728 billion); contributed 2.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission; and eroded 3,700 GWh of electricity generation potential.
Equally, in the same four-month period in 2025, offshore operations emitted 2.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; caused the loss of power generation capacity of 4,200 GWh; with 42 billion SCF of gas flared, valued at $147 million (N201.537 billion), and penalties payable at $84 million (N115.164 billion).
NOSDRA reported that the offending companies flared gas from Oil Mining Leases (OML) 04, 05, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 22, 28, 23, 24, 38, 40, 42, 43, 72, 49, 54, 86, 90, 95, 67, 70, 104, 59, 99, 100, 101, 102, 110 and Oil Prospecting Licences (OPL) 090, 209, 212, 216, 222, 246, 316 and 306, among others.
It identified the offending companies as Shell Petroleum, Development Company (SPDC), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Chevron Nigeria, Mobil Oil, Elf Petroleum Nigeria, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Addax Petroleum, Texaco Overseas (Nigeria), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria, Allied Energy Resources, Ultramar Petroleum, Atlas Petroleum; Cromwell, Afric Oil and Marketing, Famfa Oil, Moni Pulo, and South Atlantic Petroleum, Star Deep Water, Summit Oil, among others.
