The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030 and reduce methane emissions by 60% before 2031.
The Chief Executive of the Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, made the declaration while delivering a keynote address at the 24th Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week Conference 2025 in Abuja.
His speech came during a strategic session themed “Positioning Nigeria’s Upstream Oil & Gas for Energy Security, Sustainability and Economic Resilience.”
Komolafe explained that Nigeria’s gas-centric energy transition strategy aims not just to tackle emissions but also to monetise the country’s abundant gas reserves while creating thousands of green jobs.
“This is not merely about meeting global targets; it’s about unlocking domestic and continental economic value,”
According to him, the transition plan is supported by several national initiatives including the Decade of Gas programme, the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative.
“These programmes are pillars of our future energy economy,” Komolafe noted. “Nigeria is scaling its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) capacity, deploying floating infrastructure, and investing in cross-border pipelines to support not only local industries but also Africa’s broader industrial expansion.”
He also revealed that Nigeria’s Upstream Decarbonisation Framework is taking shape with components such as emissions tracking systems, Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) tools, carbon capture technologies, and a mechanism to access climate finance via carbon markets.
Komolafe stressed that these aren’t just policy statements. “They represent tangible investment opportunities, avenues for innovation, and platforms for inclusive growth across sectors,” he stated.
