The Anti-Gas Flaring Prohibition and Enforcement Bill, Thursday, scaled second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The Bill sponsored by Babajimi Benson aims to mitigate the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring, aligning Nigeria’s oil and gas operations with international climate change commitments.
Leading the debate on the Bill, he said the Bill seeks to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, while encouraging the utilisation of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation.
He added that the Bill also provides a robust framework for enforcement, monitoring, and the imposition of penalties to ensure compliance.
Benson noted that the Bill was designed to address these issues while bringing Nigeria in line with global standards such as the Paris Agreement on climate change.
He stressed that the Bill provides for a comprehensive prohibition of gas flaring except in emergencies or when explicitly authorised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC
