Nigeria’s House of Representatives has passed the Anti-Gas Flaring Prohibition and Enforcement Bill for second reading.
Sponsored by Babajimi Benson, the bill aims to mitigate the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring in Nigeria.
The bill also seeks to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, while encouraging the utilization of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation.
Equally, it provides a robust framework for enforcement, monitoring, and the imposition of penalties to ensure compliance.
The implementation of the bill would be overseen by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which would monitor compliance through regular audits, enforce penalties, and facilitate gas utilization projects in collaboration with operators and development partners.
The bill, Truth Live News learnt, will ensure that communities affected by gas flaring are entitled to compensation and environmental restoration in creating a mechanism for redress.
Offenders who violate the provisions of the bill face stringent penalties, including fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and potential suspension of operations for repeat violations.