NIGERIA · OIL AND GAS
A Lagos-based producer and the state oil company are in a global pledge to stop routine gas flaring by 2030, yet Nigeria’s flaring rose again in 2025.
Oando, a Lagos-based oil and gas group, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the state oil firm, are signatories of a global charter that aims to end routine gas flaring by 2030. The charter, the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), published its 2026 status report on Tuesday 10 November 2026 on the sidelines of the COP31 United Nations climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye.
Flaring means burning off gas that comes up with crude oil instead of capturing it, which wastes fuel and releases greenhouse gases. The World Bank’s tracker says Nigeria’s flaring rose 8% in 2025, so Nigeria’s latest data show no fall yet.
Key Facts
- Who Oando and NNPC are among 57 oil and gas companies in the charter.
- The pledge Members aim for zero routine flaring by 2030.
- Progress 42 members now have plans to end routine flaring, 75% more than in the 2024 baseline report.
- Nigeria Flaring rose 8% in 2025 while the country’s crude output also rose 8%.
- The waste Gas flared worldwide in 2025 was worth an estimated US$54 billion.
What the Charter Promises
The charter was launched at the COP28 United Nations climate conference and now has 57 member companies operating in more than 100 countries, together producing about one third of the world’s oil and gas. Members work on near-zero methane leaks, zero routine flaring by 2030 and net-zero emissions from their own operations by 2050.
Methane is the main component of natural gas and a powerful greenhouse gas, which is why the charter treats leaks and flaring together. It is a voluntary network, so membership is a commitment to report and act, not a legal obligation.
What the 2026 Report Shows
Of the 56 companies that were members during the reporting period, 52 submitted emissions data, the most so far, covering 97% of the charter’s operated production. EY, an accounting and consulting firm, independently reviewed company disclosures, and 39 members have third-party checks on their own data.
In all, 42 members, representing 90% of operated production, have action plans to end routine flaring, which is 75% more than in the 2024 baseline report. A further 39 members have methane plans, and 34 reported about US$28 billion of lower-carbon investment and acquisitions in 2025.
Where Nigeria Stands
The World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Tracker, published on 23 June 2026, shows that Nigeria’s flaring rose 8% in 2025, in line with an 8% rise in the country’s crude output. The tracker is run by the bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership and draws on satellite data.
The bank says flaring intensity, the gas burned for each barrel of oil, was little changed, which suggests more oil meant proportionally more flared gas. It names inadequate infrastructure as a major obstacle in Nigeria, a problem we examined in our report on how flaring wastes power in Nigeria.
Worldwide, flaring reached 167 billion cubic metres in 2025, the third yearly rise in a row, and wasted gas worth an estimated US$54 billion. Nigeria is one of nine countries that together account for more than four-fifths of that total, alongside Russia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Mexico, Libya, Algeria and the United States.
Why Ending Flaring Is Hard
The World Bank says the technology to capture this gas exists, and what holds progress back is weak regulation, too little capital and limited market infrastructure. It estimates that ending routine flaring worldwide would cost US$70 billion to US$100 billion, less than twice the yearly value of the gas now wasted.
Kazakhstan shows what firm policy can do, having cut flaring by 87% since 2012, including 16% in 2025 alone. Nigeria’s 2025 figure, by contrast, rose.
What It Means for Readers
For investors, the charter offers a yardstick, because its report shows how many members have published plans, data and budgets. Flared gas is also fuel that could be used at home, as our Nigeria coverage explores.
US readers will find the problem familiar, since the United States is itself one of the nine biggest flaring countries. The World Bank’s next annual tracker will show whether Nigeria’s numbers turn.
What Is Not Known
The charter’s release does not give company-level flaring volumes or deadlines for Oando or NNPC. It is also not known which of the 42 flaring action plans cover Nigerian operations.
The tracker draws on satellite data, so meter readings from companies or regulators can differ. Whether Nigeria’s flaring has fallen in the months since the 2025 data ended is not yet known.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter?
It is a voluntary initiative launched at the COP28 United Nations climate conference that now has 57 member oil and gas companies. Members work on cutting emissions from their own operations, including methane and routine flaring.
Are Oando and NNPC part of the charter?
Yes, both appear on the charter’s list of signatories. The charter’s aim for members is zero routine flaring by 2030.
How much gas did Nigeria flare in 2025?
The World Bank’s tracker shows Nigeria’s flaring rose 8% in 2025. The tracker draws on satellite data.
What is routine gas flaring?
It is the burning of gas that comes up with crude oil as part of normal operations. The gas is wasted and the burning releases carbon dioxide.
Sources: Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter, 2026 Status Report release and signatory list, 10 November 2026; World Bank, Global Gas Flaring Tracker press release, 23 June 2026.
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