By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has intensified efforts to achieve Nigeria’s 60 per cent methane emissions reduction target by 2035 with the deployment of a technology-driven platform designed to strengthen monitoring, reporting and regulatory enforcement across the oil and gas industry.
The platform, known as the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Emission Tracker (NOGIET), was formally handed over to the Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC), Captain John Tonlagha, who represented Eyesan at the handover ceremony, said the initiative would strengthen implementation of the Commission’s 2022 Guidelines for the Management of Fugitive Methane and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Upstream Oil and Gas Sector.
The guidelines require operators to transition from estimation-based to measurement-based emissions reporting by the first quarter of 2027.
Eyesan said NOGIET aligns with the Commission’s digital transformation agenda and Nigeria’s commitment to reducing methane emissions, eliminating routine gas flaring and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
According to her, the platform integrates satellite-based methane plume detection, regulatory mapping of oil blocks and pipelines, and facility-level emissions measurements to help regulators identify emission hotspots, detect inconsistencies in reported data, prioritise inspections and strengthen compliance monitoring.
She stressed that integrating the technology into the Commission’s regulatory monitoring and data management systems would improve the credibility, consistency and reliability of emissions data.
The platform was developed through a partnership involving the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), with financial and technical support from the Global Methane Hub (GMH).
Designed for use by both the NUPRC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the system is expected to promote a coordinated approach to methane management across the petroleum industry.
The NUPRC chief commended the Global Methane Hub for its financial and technical support, while appreciating SDN for its leadership, coordination and commitment to delivering the initiative.
In his remarks, the Board Chairman of SDN, Mr Inemo Samiama, said NOGIET would enable regulators to compare satellite observations with facility-level measurements, identify potential discrepancies and take evidence-based enforcement action.
Samiama disclosed that SDN had handed over the platform in its entirety, including its front-end and back-end systems, to the Commission at no cost.
He explained that the platform would move from its temporary online location to a subdomain owned by the Commission, ensuring greater institutional control and integration.
“Because methane does not stop at the boundary between upstream and downstream, NOGIET is designed as one platform for the whole oil and gas sector,” Samiama said.
The deployment marks a significant step towards strengthening data-driven environmental regulation, improving transparency in emissions reporting and supporting Nigeria’s efforts to reduce methane pollution across the petroleum value chain.
