As part of this year?s Green Diplomacy Week, the European Union and the German Embassy in Abuja have announced the launch of the German?Nigerian Flare4Value project, a landmark initiative aimed at tackling gas flaring in Nigeria while unlocking new economic opportunities through gas optimization and greenhouse gas mitigation.

Declaring the event open in Abuja, Kristina Fuerst, Head of the German?Nigerian Hydrogen Office, said the initiative ?marks a significant milestone in the German?Nigerian partnership and our joint commitment to transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities,? according to a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

She added that ?gas flaring reduction is not only a climate priority but a gateway to energy access, industrial growth, and sustainable development for Nigeria.?

Reiterating the significance of emission reduction, Johannes Lehne, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Germany in Nigeria, said, ?The strategic significance of gas flaring reduction represents both an environmental imperative and an economic opportunity.?

He added, ?By capturing and utilizing flare gas, we not only cut emissions but also create value for power generation and industry.?

Speaking further, he emphasized that Flare4Value ?reflects the strength of the German?Nigerian partnership and the EU?s wider commitment to supporting Nigeria?s leadership in climate action.?

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Vitalis Obi, noted that the Flare4Value initiative underscores Nigeria?s shared commitment to reducing emissions and unlocking the full potential of its gas resources. He emphasized that, through partnerships such as this, Nigeria can transform flare gas into an engine for cleaner energy, industrial growth, and sustainable development.

The project is implemented under H?-diplo, a GIZ programme commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office and financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI). H?-diplo supports Germany?s international energy and climate diplomacy, partnering with countries to advance the use of green hydrogen in diversifying and decarbonizing their economies.

Nigeria is one of the world?s top seven gas-flaring countries, losing billions in potential revenue each year while contributing significantly to GHG emissions.

In 2022 alone, the country flared around 275 billion standard cubic feet of gas, emitting over 16 million tonnes of CO? equivalent. This not only exacerbates climate change but also contravenes Nigeria?s Climate Change Act, which mandates strict carbon budgeting and emissions reduction.

The German?Nigerian Flare4Value initiative is designed to address this challenge head-on. It focuses on reducing flare-gas emissions, improving gas utilization, and aligning Nigeria?s oil and gas sector with its Energy Transition Plan. A key innovation of the project is its exploration of flare gas-to-hydrogen pathways, turning waste into clean energy carriers while creating space for industrial growth.

Representing the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Godfrey Ogbemudia, Programme Manager for Energy, Circular Economy and Climate Change, said, ?Reducing what goes into the atmosphere today is a responsibility we all share. It?s encouraging to see Nigeria?s flare-reduction efforts already yielding results; this project takes those gains even further.?

Ogbemudia added that the initiative ?isn?t only about environmental protection; it?s about creating new business opportunities through gas commercialization and cleaner energy solutions that benefit people and the planet.?

The project was formally introduced at a virtual kick-off meeting on 29 September, followed by Thursday?s high-level event in Abuja. A study tour to Germany is planned for October, bringing Nigerian public and private-sector actors together with German stakeholders. The initiative will culminate in a multi-stakeholder conference in Abuja on 4 December 2025, where a discussion paper on flare-gas reduction will be launched alongside a B2B exchange platform for Nigerian and German businesses.

By linking flare-gas reduction with hydrogen development, the Flare4Value project bridges climate action and economic opportunity. It supports Germany?s and the EU?s broader energy diplomacy while advancing Nigeria?s national priorities, reducing emissions through targeted gas recovery, creating new industrial and economic value, and strengthening Nigeria?s energy transition for a more resilient and diversified economy. (The PUNCH)

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