Nigeria Gas Flaring Hits 203.9 Billion SCF in 2025 Despite High Utilisation – NUPRC
Nigeria continued to struggle with gas flaring in 2025, releasing over 203.9 billion standard cubic feet (SCF) of natural gas into the atmosphere despite a high utilisation rate of 92.4%, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The figures, published in the Commission’s full-year 2025 Gas Production Status Report, highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing production growth with environmental responsibility.
Total gas production in 2025 reached approximately 2.71 trillion SCF, comprising 1.46 trillion SCF of Associated Gas (AG) and 1.25 trillion SCF of Non-Associated Gas (NAG). Of this, around 2.50 trillion SCF was effectively utilised across domestic supply, field operations, and exports. However, flaring still accounted for 7.54% of total production, marking a rise from the 192.9 billion SCF flared in 2024, despite regulatory measures and flare commercialisation efforts.
Monthly flaring volumes showed some fluctuation, ranging between 15 billion SCF and 18 billion SCF, with peaks in January (18.7 billion SCF) and July (18.3 billion SCF). September recorded the lowest utilisation at 90.9%, driving the flaring rate to its yearly high of 9.05%. Analysts note that the bulk of flaring comes from Associated Gas, which is often constrained by limited infrastructure and processing facilities, making it more vulnerable to routine flaring than Non-Associated Gas.
While Nigeria’s overall gas utilisation rate suggests progress on paper, the absolute flared volumes carry significant environmental and economic implications. Gas flaring contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and health risks in host communities. The country remains one of the world’s leading gas-flaring nations, with the 2025 increase following a 12% rise in flared volumes recorded in 2024, one of the largest globally.
Experts argue that addressing infrastructure gaps, improving gas evacuation systems, and scaling up flare commercialisation are crucial to reducing routine flaring. Despite occasional improvements, such as the reduction to 7.16% flaring in July 2025, the figures underscore the persistent challenge in reconciling Nigeria’s growing gas output with sustainable practices and environmental commitments.
source: nairametrics