Nigeria’s Gas Flaring Surges to 4-Year High as Manufacturing Sector Faces Energy Crisis
By, Springsnews media limted July 8,2025
Gas flaring in Nigeria has reached its highest level in four years, worsening the country’s ongoing energy crisis and starving industries of the power they desperately need to operate.
According to recent data from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigeria flared over 138 billion standard cubic feet (scf) of natural gas between January and May 2025. This marks a significant increase from previous years, pushing the country further away from its emission reduction targets and costing the economy millions of dollars in lost energy potential.
Billions Lost as Gas Wasted
The volume of gas flared in the first five months of 2025 could have generated thousands of megawatts of electricity for Nigeria’s struggling industries. Experts estimate that the flared gas translates to over $480 million in lost revenue and enough power to run multiple manufacturing clusters across the country.
“Gas flaring isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s an economic tragedy,” says energy economist Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah. “We’re burning away power that could be used to revive factories and support small businesses.”
Industrial Sector Suffers Amid Energy Deficit
While gas is wasted into the atmosphere, Nigeria’s industrial sector continues to suffer from crippling power shortages. Manufacturers, already burdened by high diesel prices and unreliable grid supply, now face factory shutdowns, job losses, and reduced output due to the unavailability of gas as an alternative energy source.
“Small and medium industries are folding up daily,” says the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). “We need gas to power our operations, yet we watch it being flared away.”
Nigeria’s Broken Gas Utilization Policy
Despite several government initiatives and gas commercialization programs, enforcement has been weak. Oil companies continue to flare gas due to lack of infrastructure, poor regulation, and minimal penalties. Current fines for flaring remain too low to discourage the practice.
In 2021, Nigeria committed to ending gas flaring by 2030 under its National Gas Policy and its pledge to the Global Methane Pledge, but experts say the recent surge puts that target in serious jeopardy.
Time for Urgent Policy Action
Energy analysts are calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on gas utilization. They urge swift implementation of gas gathering infrastructure, higher penalties for flaring, and incentivized private investment in domestic gas processing and distribution.
“There’s no excuse for this level of waste,” says policy expert Amina Yusuf. “We must treat gas like the national asset it is—one that can fuel growth, create jobs, and power Nigeria’s future.”
As Nigeria battles unemployment, factory closures, and energy insecurity, its rising gas flaring problem symbolizes a deeper governance and infrastructure failure. If harnessed properly, this wasted gas could transform Nigeria’s industrial landscape. But if ignored, it will continue to choke the nation’s economic potential—literally and figuratively.
