Nigeria Legislates on Gas Flaring, Bill Enjoys Priority Attention at House of Representatives
The proposed legislation aims to mitigate the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring, aligning Nigeria’s oil and gas operations with international climate change commitments.
Offenders who violate the provisions of the proposed law would face stringent penalties, including fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and potential suspension of operations for repeat violations.
Sponsored by Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) who stated at plenary Wednesday where it was read for the second time that it seeks to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, while encouraging the utilisation of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation.for second reading,
The lawmaker said public health impacts of the practice are equally dire, as pollutants from gas flaring cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly among residents of communities close to flaring sites.
He said economically, flaring results in the waste of a valuable resource that could otherwise be harnessed for energy generation or exported to generate revenue.