Key stakeholders from government, civil society and the oil‑and‑gas industry gathered in Abuja on Friday for the Methane Emission Abatement in the Oil and Gas Industry Regulatory Dialogue, organised by the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and partners. SDN Country Director Mrs Florence Ibok‑Abasi described the meeting as a turning point, noting that past fragmented regulatory approaches have delayed progress and that the dialogue aims to align priorities, strengthen enforcement and create lasting institutional coordination. She said, "We are here to align priorities, learn from our challenges, break down silos, and build genuine coordination among all stakeholders…Improved inter‑agency cooperation is not optional; it is the foundation for better data, stronger enforcement, and credible progress toward Nigeria's global methane pledge."
Dr Jude Samuelson, Head of Environment and Climate Change at SDN, called methane reduction the fastest and most effective climate strategy but warned that the high cost of abatement technologies limits deployment. He urged stronger government‑industry partnerships, stating, "One of the recommendations that SDN has is to see how the government can work with the operators to ensure that the operators afford these technologies."
Mr Chukwuemeka Okebugwu of the National Council on Climate Change highlighted methane's role in global warming and suggested regular dialogue could help convert waste methane into useful energy.
Mr Odafe Atebe, Technical Advisor to the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, called methane abatement a cost‑effective route to meet climate goals without harming energy security, adding that fragmented approaches will not deliver the needed impact.
Ibrahim Jilo, Senior Manager at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, acknowledged progress but said compliance challenges persist, stressing the need for tailored approaches, capacity building and sustained operator engagement.
The SDN's insistence that inter‑agency cooperation "is not optional" contradicts its own admission that fragmented regulatory approaches have slowed methane‑abatement progress. This inconsistency leaves operators overseen by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission facing uneven enforcement, jeopardising Nigeria's pledge to cut methane emissions. Moreover, without affordable abatement technology, these firms risk higher compliance costs while struggling to meet the country's climate commitments.
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