The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has taken a significant step towards reducing methane emissions in the country’s energy sector.
NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, met with Robert Leahman, the US State Department’s Global Methane Program Manager, and a team from Deloitte on Thursday in Abuja to advance collaboration on several methane abatement initiatives.
Persecondnews reports that methane emissions are a major contributor to climate change and are caused by both human activities and natural sources.
An estimated 60% of today’s methane emissions are the result of human activities; the largest sources of methane are agriculture, fossil fuels, and decomposition of landfill waste.
In a post on its official X handle, the oil company noted that the partnership, which includes the US Bureau of Energy Resources, aims to reduce emissions in Nigeria’s energy sector.
To achieve this, NNPC Ltd. has launched a methane abatement pilot project in the Niger Delta.
The project focuses on establishing emissions baselines, reducing methane leaks, and scaling sustainable practices across operations.
Nigeria has set ambitious targets to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas sector by 60% by 2031 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
The country’s efforts align with its leadership role in Africa under the Global Methane Pledge, demonstrating a commitment to tackling climate change and advancing energy sector sustainability.
Persecondnews recalls that at the COP 28 Conference in Dubai, UAE, Kyari said the world must understand Africa’s peculiarities in addressing the effects of climate change on energy businesses.
He said: “I have always advocated for a differentiated and just energy transition. In Africa, we have different circumstances compared to other places in the world.”
According to the GCEO, with an abundant natural gas reserve of 206 trillion cubic feet (tcf) that has the potential to rise to 600 tcf, Nigeria is currently utilizing gas to drive its journey towards energy transition.
He noted that the NNPC Ltd. is creating a regional gas pipeline network that will supply natural gas across the African continent and boost its Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) supply to the foreign market.
He said NNPC Ltd. is currently eliminating gas flares in almost all its gas projects.
“The idea is to deploy such gas towards developing power plants nationwide, which will boost nationwide electricity supply, create employment opportunities, and trigger the nation’s industrial and economic development.”
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