World Bank report places Nigeria among nine countries responsible for more than 80% of global gas flaring as infrastructure gaps continue to hinder progress……..
Nigeria has retained its position among the world’s leading gas-flaring nations, according to a new report by the World Bank, highlighting the country’s ongoing struggle to convert associated gas into economic value despite years of policy reforms and investment initiatives.
The World Bank’s latest Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report, released on Tuesday, listed Nigeria among nine countries that collectively accounted for 83 percent of all gas flared globally in 2025.
The group includes Russia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Mexico, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria and the United States. Together, these countries dominate global flaring activities, while more than 90 other oil-producing nations contributed just 17 percent of total flare volumes despite accounting for over half of worldwide oil production.
According to the report, Nigeria recorded increases in both crude oil production and gas flaring volumes during the year, indicating that efforts to reduce flaring have yet to keep pace with rising output.
The World Bank noted that gas flaring in Nigeria increased by eight percent in 2025, matching the country’s eight percent growth in oil production over the same period.
Despite the rise in flare volumes, Nigeria’s flaring intensity, an indicator that measures the amount of gas flared relative to oil produced remained largely unchanged from the previous year.
This contrasts with countries such as Mexico, Russia, Algeria and Iran, where flaring intensity worsened, while Venezuela and the United States recorded notable improvements, reducing flaring intensity by 11 percent and 10 percent respectively.
The report observed that Nigeria, alongside Iraq and Libya, experienced little or no significant change in flaring intensity compared with 2024.
Infrastructure Challenges Persist
A major factor behind Nigeria’s continued flaring levels is the country’s inadequate gas infrastructure, the report noted.
According to the World Bank, insufficient facilities for gathering, processing and transporting associated gas continue to limit the country’s ability to commercialise gas that would otherwise be wasted through flaring.
The report further pointed to ageing gas-processing infrastructure and frequent operational disruptions as key contributors to elevated flare volumes.
Industry experts have long argued that while Nigeria possesses vast natural gas resources, limited midstream infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles preventing the country from fully harnessing its gas potential.
Global Lessons From Lower-Flaring Producers
The World Bank highlighted several oil-producing countries that have demonstrated that higher production levels do not necessarily translate into increased flaring.
Countries such as Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and the United States were cited as examples of producers that successfully reduced flare volumes while maintaining more efficient gas utilisation practices.
Meanwhile, Mexico, the Republic of Congo and Vietnam recorded some of the sharpest increases in flaring intensity during the period under review.
The report stressed that sustained investments in gas gathering systems, processing facilities and transportation networks remain critical for countries seeking to reduce flaring and improve environmental performance.
Nigeria’s Gas Ambitions Face Test
The findings come as Nigeria continues to promote natural gas as a cornerstone of its energy transition and economic diversification strategy.
Successive administrations have launched initiatives aimed at ending routine gas flaring, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and unlocking additional revenue from gas resources that are currently wasted.
Nigeria is estimated to hold more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, making it one of Africa’s largest gas holders.
The country is also a participant in the Zero Routine Flaring (ZRF) initiative, a global programme designed to eliminate routine flaring in oil production. According to the World Bank, countries participating in the initiative generally recorded better flaring performance than non-participating nations, although overall flaring levels among endorsing countries increased during 2025.
Despite repeated commitments and policy interventions, the latest report suggests that Nigeria still faces significant hurdles in translating its gas potential into meaningful reductions in flaring.
For Africa’s largest oil producer, the challenge remains clear: turning wasted gas into economic value while meeting environmental commitments and supporting long-term energy security.
