Awardees of gas flare sites risk losing their permits if they fail to utilise them, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has warned in a statement issued by its Head of Corporate Communications and Media, Eniola Akinkuotu.
Commission Chief Executive Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan made the disclosure on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, during a working visit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, in Abuja.
Presenting an update on the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), Eyesan said the Commission evaluates progress one year after an award is granted. “One year after an award has been granted, the Commission conducts an evaluation to determine whether there has been considerable progress,” she stated. “Where there is insufficient progress, the Commission will take appropriate regulatory action, including revocation of the award where necessary.”
Despite initial resistance from some operators, the NGFCP has continued to record significant progress, according to the statement. Of the 43 flare gas sites originally identified for award, 27 have been successfully awarded, with implementation efforts ongoing.
Nigeria currently holds over 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves and an estimated total reserve base of about 600 trillion cubic feet. “These resources provide a strong foundation for power generation, industrialisation, exports and broader economic development,” Eyesan said.
On host community development, the NUPRC noted that the Petroleum Industry Act introduced the Host Community Development Trust framework to address longstanding concerns and ensure petroleum resources support sustainable development. Available data indicates the trusts have contributed to significant reductions in oil theft and oil spillage while fostering more harmonious relationships between operators and host communities.
“To date, 173 Host Community Development Trusts have been incorporated, 147 have been funded, over 1,001 projects are currently ongoing, while more than 200 projects have been successfully commissioned across host communities,” Eyesan disclosed.
In his remarks, Rt. Hon Ekpo called for deliberate and aggressive implementation of Nigeria’s gas commercialisation programme to achieve the 2030 target of eliminating routine gas flaring. “The core objective is to add value to our gas resources by converting them into critical products and services. We must move away from environmental pollution and toward productive resource utilization,” he said.
