Tackling Methane Emissions in Nigeria: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach

Nigeria is facing a critical challenge when it comes to methane emissions – a potent greenhouse gas that is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat. As a major oil and gas producer, Nigeria grapples with significant methane releases from gas flaring, pipeline vandalism, and oil spills. But the problem extends beyond the energy sector, with agriculture, waste management, and industrial processes also contributing significantly to the nation’s methane woes.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the Environmental Center for Oil Spills & Gas Flaring (ECOSGF) and the African Initiatives for Transparency, Accountability, and Responsible Leadership (AFRITAL) recently convened a high-level stakeholder meeting in Calabar, Nigeria. The goal was to bring together experts, policymakers, industry representatives, civil society organizations, farmers, and community leaders to chart a path forward for methane abatement.

The meeting, titled “MEETING ON METHANE ABATEMENT IN NIGERIA: A SPECIAL FOCUS ON METHANE EMISSIONS FROM ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCES,” provided a collaborative platform to analyze data, identify regulatory and technological gaps, and propose actionable strategies to achieve measurable reductions in methane emissions.

Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Edward Obi, representing ECOSGF, set the tone for the discussions, emphasizing the critical role that civil society organizations (CSOs) must play in driving methane reduction efforts. He highlighted the fact that human-caused activities account for over 60% of global methane emissions, with agriculture being a major contributor due to the digestion processes of ruminant animals like cattle.

Participants at the meeting explored a range of solutions, including:

1. Integrating climate change education, with a focus on methane abatement and carbon emission reduction, into secondary school curricula. This would foster environmental literacy and empower the younger generation to adopt sustainable waste management practices.

2. Embedding the principles of non-biodegradable waste reuse and recycling into the educational framework, encouraging students to view waste as a resource and promote a circular economy.

3. Developing robust, scalable systems that convert waste into clean energy sources, such as biogas and biofuels, to reduce waste accumulation while generating renewable energy.

4. Cultivating a cultural shift toward voluntary compliance with environmental standards, driven by individual and community responsibility, to amplify efforts to combat climate change.

The meeting also highlighted the crucial role of ECOSGF and AFRITAL in spearheading this initiative. As leading environmental advocacy organizations, they are uniquely positioned to address methane emissions through rigorous research, field studies, and advocacy for enhanced regulatory frameworks. Their collaborative approach emphasizes the need for policy coherence, stakeholder engagement, and community empowerment to achieve sustainable methane management practices across Nigeria.

Moving forward, the stakeholders committed to a series of concrete actions, including collaborating with farmers’ associations, engaging the private sector, communicating with climate change policymakers, and developing educational resources to raise awareness among communities and policymakers.

As Nigeria works to fulfill its environmental obligations and enhance resilience to climate impacts, the continued efforts of ECOSGF, AFRITAL, and their partners will be instrumental in driving a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to tackling the critical challenge of methane emissions. By addressing this, Nigeria can pave the way for a more sustainable future, protecting public health, ecosystems, and the global climate.