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On 13 April 2026, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) issued a Directive requiring upstream operators to use standardised templates for greenhouse gas emissions management planning and reporting of methane/GHG accounting and inventory. The Directive marks a shift from policy-level
expectations to an auditable, evidence-driven compliance framework.
17 April 26
Other Insights:
Background and regulatory context
The Directive is issued pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (the “PIA”), from which NUPRC derives its broad authority to regulate upstream operations, enforce environmental measures and standards, require data and reports from licence holders, and approve environmental management plans. Additionally, the NUPRC Guidelines for Management of Fugitive Methane and Greenhouse Gases Emissions in the Upstream Oil and Gas Operations in Nigeria, 2022 (the “2022 Guidelines”) require operators to submit GHG management plans to the NUPRC, undertake quarterly monitoring and reporting, establish methane quantification systems, and implement Leak Detection and Repair (“LDAR”) controls across key emitting sources including compressors, pneumatic devices, storage tanks, dehydrators, flares and vents.
The policy objective is standardised science-based, traceable emissions data. This is in furtherance of Nigeria’s broader climate commitments to net-zero by 2060 and upstream methane/flaring reduction goals. This development signals that climate compliance is becoming more integrated with core upstream regulation andnot treated as a parallel ESG obligation
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Should you have any questions regarding the information in this legal alert, please do not hesitate to contact Oghogho Makinde.