Michael Eboh
Dublin, Ireland — Nigeria lost $345.9 million (about N553.44 billion) to gas flaring in three months, between January and March 2025, rising by 18.38 percent from $292.2 million (about N467.52 billion) lost to flaring of the product in the same three-month period in 2024, according to data obtained from the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency, NOSDRA.
In its gas flare report for January to March 2025, NOSDRA reported that oil and gas companies operating in the country flared 98.8 billion Standard Cubic Feet, BSCF, of gas in the period under review, up from 83.5 BSCF recorded in the same three-month period in 2024.
Using the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, exchange rate of N1,600 to a dollar, the volume of gas flared by the oil and gas companies in the period under review amounted to $345.9 million (about N553.44 billion).
The environmental regulator added that the volume of gas flared in the period under review contributed 5.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere; was capable of generating 9,900 Gigawatts hour of electricity, GWh; while the companies involved in the gas flaring were liable for penalties payment of $197.7 million (about (N316.32 billion).
In comparison, the 83.5 BSCF of gas flared between January and March 2024 released 4.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and had power generation potential of 8,300 GWh while the offending companies were liable for penalties payment of $167 million (equivalent of N267.2 billion), also using the CBN exchange rate of N1,600 to a dollar.
Giving a breakdown of gas flared across different segments of the country’s operating environment in the three-month period in 2025, NOSDRA reported that companies operating offshore flared 31.8 BSCF of gas valued at $111.2 million, representing 32 percent of total gas flared in the country in the period under review.
In addition, the gas flared offshore attracted penalties of $63.5 million (about N101.6 billion); contributed 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; while it had power generation potential of 3,200 GWh.
In comparison, in the first three months of 2024, companies operating offshore flared 41 BSCF of gas valued at $143.6 million (about N229.76 billion); with penalties payable at $82.1 million (about N131.36 billion); while the volume of gas flared emitted 2.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and had power generation potential of 4,100 GWh.
On the other hand, NOSDRA reported that companies operating onshore caused the country a loss of $234.8 million (about N375.68 billion) as they flared 67.1 BSCF of gas, accounting for 67.9 percent of total gas flared; emitted 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide; had power generation potential of 6,700 GWh, while the offending companies were liable for penalties payment of $134.1 million (about N214.56 billion).
Similarly, the environmental protection agency stated that companies operating onshore flared 42.5 BSCF of gas between January and March 2024, valued at $148.6 million (about N237.76 billion); were liable for penalties payment of $84.9 million (about N135.84 billion); contributed 2.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and had power generation potential of 4,200 GWh.
NOSDRA stated that the offending companies flared gas from Oil Mining Leases, OMLs, 04, 05, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 22, 28, 23, 24, 38, 40, 42, 43, 72, 49, 54, 90, 95, 67, 70, 104, 59, 99, 100, 101, 102 and Oil Prospecting Licences, OPLs, 222, 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, among others.
