– As Nigeria ramps up climate diplomacy
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s national oil company, NNPC Limited, has anchored its participation at COP30 on a strong message: global climate action must be realistic, equitable and sensitive to energy-producing nations, even as decarbonisation efforts accelerate.
Speaking at the OPEC-GECF coordination meeting in Belém, Brazil, the Managing Director of NNPC New Energy Limited, Haruna Abdurrahman, said producers must insist on climate frameworks that balance environmental ambition with energy security.
“Constructive dialogue among producers is essential for ensuring that global climate frameworks remain practical, equitable and supportive of energy security alongside decarbonisation goals,” Abdurrahman said, stressing the importance of unified positions for resource-dependent economies.
He added that NNPC Limited was committed to “a balanced and realistic energy transition that protects developing countries from policies that could undermine growth.”
The meeting, which brought together member countries of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, GECF, focused on aligning negotiating positions as talks intensify at COP30.
In a separate high-level panel hosted by KPMG Africa, Philemon Yilleng, Manager, Sustainability Strategy, Standards and Policy at NNPC Limited, reaffirmed the company’s climate commitments, especially around gas flare reduction.
Yilleng headlined a session on “The Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme as a Strategic Enabler for Economic Value and Climate Ambitions.” He said the programme is proof that climate solutions can drive economic gains.
“Sustainability remains a core value guiding NNPC Limited as we support the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme towards zero routine flaring by 2030,” he said.
“This is not just an environmental goal; it is a pathway to new revenue streams for the nation.”
He was joined on the panel by John Akuoko-Tawiah of KPMG Africa, Michael Ivenso of the National Council on Climate Change, and Dr. Christian Onwunyili of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
With global scrutiny of fossil-fuel-reliant nations intensifying, NNPC says Nigeria will continue to pursue policies that deliver climate responsibility without sacrificing economic stability.
“NNPC Limited continues to lead Nigeria’s energy sector in delivering both economic growth and climate responsibility,” the company said.
