An oil and gas expert, Elliot Umole, has said Nigeria is burning value into the air through continuous gas flaring, describing the practice as an economic and developmental loss for the country.
Umole, a seasoned energy executive with over two decades of industry experience, however, said with the right policies and investments, flared gas could be converted into profit and community development gains, reports The Guardian.
Speaking with our correspondent, he noted that despite years of regulatory attention, gas flaring remains a challenge in the country’s oil and gas sector, adding that the problem presents an opportunity for transformation through flare gas recovery projects.
According to the Nigerian Gas Flare Tracker, gas valued at $1.9bn was flared in Nigeria between 2020 and 2024 while 31.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions were recorded within the same period.
However, citing a micro-scale flare recovery initiative he worked on, Umole said waste gas was successfully converted into electricity for host communities, creating jobs and improving energy access while reducing carbon emissions.
Umole, based in Calgary, Canada, further debunked the conventional wisdom that sustainability costs oil companies money, noting instea that it is a strategic enabler of long-term profitability, resilience, and innovation.
According to him, adopting technologies such as predictive maintenance, digital monitoring, and carbon recovery systems can reduce operational downtime and save costs.
He said: “Nigeria’s oil sector has long been spotlighted for its environmental potential—flaring, oil spills, and emissions have been highlighted as opportune areas for improvement. However, lredictive maintenance, digital monitoring, and carbon recovery systems aren’t luxuries. They’re imperatives.
“When predictive analytics are applied at our plants to anticipate failures before they occur, reducing disruptions and optimizing asset uptime. That’s sustainability in practice and it saves money.
“Flare gas recovery is another area ripe for innovation. Despite decades of regulatory focus, gas flaring remains problematic in the industry. We were burning value into the air. With the right policies and investments, the same gas can be converted into profit and development gains. It’s a win-win”
The oil and gas expert also stressed the need for stakeholders to embed sustainability in oil sector governance and daily operations, saying that clean, lean, and data-driven systems would boost profitability, enhance community relations, and reduce environmental impact.
On stakeholder relations, he said trust and collaboration with host communities are critical for long-term stability and business success.
“It’s not only the environment. It’s stakeholder trust. Communities that believe you’re genuinely trying hard environmentally are more likely to embrace your operations,” he said.
Even as he noted the urgency of global energy transition and climate change, Umole warned against sudden divestments or one-size-fits-all transitions to renewables.
He called for a practical strategy under which Nigeria can responsibly extract value from hydrocarbons while accelerating investments in clean energy.
Umole called for a pragmatic approach to energy transition in Nigeria, one that ensures job preservation, stable revenue, and capacity building, while gradually reducing environmental impact.
“Our transition has to be fair and inclusive. It has to save jobs, stabilize revenues, and enhance capability while making significant reductions in our environmental footprint.
He stressed the need to close Nigeria’s skills gap in environmental science, digital technologies, and energy transition technologies.
•Photo Caption: Gas flaring
