The House of Representatives has passed the Anti-Gas Flaring Prohibition and Enforcement Bill for its second reading, marking a significant step towards addressing the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring in Nigeria.
Sponsored by Babajimi Benson, the Bill aims to prohibit gas flaring and venting of natural gas except under strict regulations. It encourages the use of gas resources for economic growth and energy generation while ensuring compliance with international climate commitments, such as the Paris Agreement.
Benson highlighted that the Bill includes provisions for enforcement, penalties, and monitoring to ensure operators adhere to the new standards. Gas flaring has caused extensive environmental damage, public health concerns, and economic losses in the country. Under the Bill, offenders will face fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and possible suspension of operations for repeat offenses.
The Bill also ensures that affected communities are compensated and that environmental restoration is carried out. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) will oversee the implementation, with support from the Ministry of Environment and other agencies.
