Nigeria and Germany have teamed up to roll out a new initiative designed to cut gas flaring and promote sustainable energy growth across the country.
The project, called Flare4Value, was launched in Abuja during the EU Green Diplomacy Week. It focuses on turning flare gas — often wasted through burning — into useful industrial and economic resources.
Implemented under H₂-diplo, an energy diplomacy programme led by GIZ and funded by Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s broader Energy Transition Plan.
Head of the German–Nigerian Hydrogen Office, Kristina Fuerst, described the project as an opportunity to turn environmental challenges into economic potential. She noted that ending gas flaring is not only about cutting emissions but also about creating new industries, expanding energy access, and driving development.
Germany’s Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Johannes Lehne, said the partnership shows how climate action can go hand in hand with economic growth. “By capturing and reusing flare gas, we can both lower emissions and unlock new value chains,” he stated.
Representing Nigeria’s Petroleum Ministry, Dr. Vitalis Obi praised the project as a model for converting waste into wealth, adding that such initiatives will strengthen local industries while advancing clean energy goals.
Officials from the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS also highlighted that the project supports global climate efforts while creating new investment and business opportunities through gas commercialisation.
Nigeria currently ranks among the top gas-flaring countries in the world, losing billions in potential revenue each year. In 2022 alone, about 275 billion standard cubic feet of gas were flared — releasing nearly 16 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent into the atmosphere.
Flare4Value seeks to reverse this trend by introducing gas-to-hydrogen technologies, which will convert excess gas into clean hydrogen for industrial use and export.
The project brings together key Nigerian agencies, including the NUPRC, NMDPRA, GACN, NOSDRA, and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
After a virtual launch in September, the partners plan to continue with a study visit to Germany in October and host a multi-stakeholder conference in Abuja on December 4, 2025, where key findings and a B2B exchange platform will be presented.
Through Flare4Value, Nigeria aims to reduce carbon emissions, attract green investments, and move closer to achieving a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
