Civil Society Groups Call for Stronger Methane Regulation Ahead of 2027 Elections

According to Premium Times Nigeria, civil society groups have called on the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to regulate methane emissions, citing weak enforcement, poor disclosure, and insufficient community participation as major obstacles to effective methane regulation.

The groups, which include Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), stated that the current state of methane regulations in Nigeria has yielded limited results. They emphasized the need for stricter regulations to combat the negative environmental and health impacts of methane emissions.

‘The Nigerian government must prioritize the implementation of robust methane regulations to protect the health of its citizens and mitigate climate change,’ said Chima Williams, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN.

The demand for tighter methane regulations comes as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. With the environment and climate change emerging as key issues in the electoral discourse, these civil society groups are hoping to influence the political agenda and compel the government to take decisive action against methane emissions.

It is unclear whether the Nigerian government has responded to the demands of these civil society groups. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has not said when the facility began operating.