As part of activities marking this year’s Green Diplomacy Week, the European Union and the German Embassy in Abuja have launched the German–Nigerian Flare4Value project, a landmark initiative designed to tackle gas flaring in Nigeria while unlocking new economic opportunities through gas optimisation and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation.

Declaring the event open over the weekend in Abuja, Kristina Fuerst, Head of the German–Nigerian Hydrogen Office, described the initiative as “a significant milestone in the German–Nigerian partnership and our joint commitment to transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities.” She emphasised that “gas flaring reduction is not only a climate priority but a gateway to energy access, industrial growth, and sustainable development for Nigeria.”

Also speaking at the event, Johannes Lehne, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Germany in Nigeria, reiterated the strategic importance of emission reduction, describing it as both an environmental and economic imperative.

“The strategic significance of gas flaring reduction represents both an environmental imperative and an economic opportunity,” he said. “By capturing and utilising flare gas, we not only cut emissions but also create value for power generation and industry.” Lehne further noted that Flare4Value “reflects the strength of the German–Nigerian partnership and the EU’s wider commitment to supporting Nigeria’s leadership in climate action.”

In his remarks, Dr. Vitalis Obi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, said the initiative underscores Nigeria’s shared commitment to reducing emissions and unlocking the full potential of its gas resources. According to him, partnerships such as Flare4Value provide a pathway for Nigeria to transform flare gas into an engine for cleaner energy, industrial growth, and sustainable development.

The Flare4Value project is implemented under H₂-diplo, a GIZ programme commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office and financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI). H₂-diplo supports Germany’s international energy and climate diplomacy, working with partner countries to advance the use of green hydrogen in diversifying and decarbonising their economies.

Nigeria remains one of the world’s top seven gas-flaring nations, 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 CO₂ equivalent, a development that not only worsens climate change but also contravenes the Climate Change Act (2021), which mandates strict carbon budgeting and emission reduction.

Addressing this challenge head-on, the German–Nigerian Flare4Value initiative focuses on reducing flare-gas emissions, improving gas utilisation, 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 — converting waste into clean energy carriers while stimulating industrial growth.

Representing the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Godfrey Ogbemudia, Programme Manager for Energy, Circular Economy and Climate Change, said the initiative captures the shared global responsibility to reduce emissions. “Reducing what goes into the atmosphere today is a responsibility we all share,” he said. “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 commercialisation and cleaner energy solutions that benefit people and the planet.”

Through structured dialogue, technical collaboration, and private-sector engagement, Flare4Value provides a high-level bilateral platform for Germany and Nigeria to deepen cooperation on climate action.

Launched under the EU Green Diplomacy Week, the initiative reinforces the EU’s commitment to forging strong partnerships in multilateral decarbonisation efforts. Nigerian institutional partners include the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gas Aggregator Company of Nigeria (GACN), the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

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

 

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