by Julian Obasi
A University don, Dr. Giadom Ferdinand, has warned that Nigeria is burning away its economic and environmental future with excessive gas flaring, releasing over 70 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere daily,.
Dr. Giadom Ferdinand, senior lecturer in the Department of Geology at the University of Port Harcourt, stated this during an interview with newsmen in Calabar.
He described the scale of gas flaring across the Niger Delta as alarming and unsustainable, revealing that at present, Nigeria has more than 107 flare stacks scattered across different oil fields in the region, each continuously pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“These flare stacks cumulatively release over 70 million tons of carbon dioxide per day. Satellites now track their thermal signatures at night and can pinpoint the emission sources across the delta. The picture is frightening,” he said.
According to him, the data leaves no doubt that the Niger Delta has become a hotspot for uncontrolled emissions, worsening climate change and degrading local livelihoods.
“This is not conducive for a livable environment. The atmosphere is already choking with excess carbon dioxide from these daily contributions,” he stressed.
Dr Ferdinand lamented that Nigeria lags behind other oil-producing countries in managing associated gas, pointing to Azerbaijan as a model.
“In Azerbaijan, you hardly see flare stacks, the gas that comes with crude oil is captured and piped directly into households, powering the economy. That is why the cost of cooking gas there is minimal,” he explained.
He argued that Nigeria has no excuse for continuing to waste resources that could be converted into energy, cooking gas, and industrial feedstock.
“Instead of flaring, we can process and utilize this associated gas to boost electricity generation, cooking gas supply, and even Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, for transport vehicles,” he said.
The UNIPORT don who warned that the health consequences of gas flaring are just devastating, described how communities living near flare sites endure constant heat, toxic emissions, and disruption of natural cycles of day and night.
“The heat signatures from flares affect plants, animals, and human beings. Continuous light exposure alters endocrine systems of both flora and fauna. God designed night and day for balance, but in flare zones it is perpetual daylight,” Ferdinand noted.
Dr Ferdinand added that beyond carbon dioxide, flare stacks also emit methane and release intense heat that pushes the environment beyond the thresholds in which living organisms thrive. “It is simply not a healthy ecosystem,” he warned.
He urged Nigerians to think of the millions spent buying 12.4kg of cooking gas cylinders while tons of the same gas are flared every single day.
“It is the same gas we use. But for operational convenience, companies waste it through flares rather than processing it. The nation is losing billions,” he said.
The University don broke down the science, noting that oil deposits are layered with water at the base, while crude oil is in the middle, and natural gas on top.
“When crude is drained, the gas builds pressure. Instead of channeling it into plants that will process it into butane or for power, we burn it away,” he said.
He argued that a policy shift could turn wasted gas into economic assets.
“If properly harnessed, this gas can drive electricity, provide cheaper household fuel, power transport with compressed natural gas, and accelerate national development,” Dr Ferdinand added.
