November 2008

Country Profile Nigeria

With its mangrove swamps, rainforests, savanna areas and the dry Sahel zone in the north, Nigeria’s landscape is highly diverse. The impacts of climate change are already visible: huge problems are being caused by spreading desertification in northern parts of the country and rising sea levels in coastal areas.

Nigeria is rich in natural resources. Its vast oil reserves make it one of the ten biggest oil exporters in the world. It is a member of OPEC and revenue from oil production is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy.

While the country benefits from a stringent climate change policy designed to soften the environmental impacts outlined above, as an oil-exporting nation it also belongs to those countries which speak out against restrictive climate policies for economic reasons. But Nigeria nonetheless ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2004 and is already able to report its first registered CDM project. The Nigerian DNA is an arm of the environment ministry.

Oil extraction is a huge environmental issue in Nigeria, because the associated gas which is a by-product of crude oil production must be separated during extraction. This involves the gas being burned or flared off. Apart from the direct negative impacts on the environment caused by the resulting dioxins, the process also releases methane and CO₂. Nigeria is responsible for about a sixth of the 400 MtCO₂ global-level emissions caused by gas flaring.

Nigeria’s first registered CDM project makes use of the gas that would otherwise be flared off. Another project, the Ovade Ogharefe Gas Capture and Processing Project (currently in the validation phase), also focuses on using gas. Potential for further CDM projects is seen in renewable energy, energy efficiency, methane capture and use, and waste treatment and management.

Despite its vast oil and gas reserves, Nigeria faces problems with its electricity supply infrastructure. This is being addressed by means of an energy partnership with Germany. Agreed in late summer 2008 between the German Foreign Office and the Nigerian government, the partnership provides for German businesses to participate in improving Nigeria’s electricity supply. In return, Nigeria will supply liquified gas to Germany from 2014 onwards. The agreement also includes activities to identify potential CDM projects.

Further selected information::

German Foreign Office: Information on Nigeria
Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change (BNRCC). Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaption.
Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST)
Gas Flaring in Nigeria