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45 min ago 2 min read
A new carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) platform has been launched in Nigeria to accelerate the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The platform was announced by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The project is designed to bring together government institutions, industry leaders, academia, technology developers and investors to drive coordinated action, according to Innocent Barikor, Director-General of NESREA.
“We are building a circular economy that turns environmental challenges into economic opportunities,” he added.
Much of these environmental challenges are presented by the country’s oil and gas sector, which accounts for around 55% of its total GHG emissions.
No operational CCUS or CCS projects currently exist, but studies are ongoing, with a goal of reducing industrial emissions by up to 30% by 2035.
A 2023 study identified 15 potential CCS projects, with the top two projects identified as fertiliser and cement plants located near the Niger Delta where offshore storage options are being explored.
The country plans to integrate CCUS into its updated Nationally Determined Contributions to meet net zero targets and attract climate finance, according to the International Finance Corporation.
Nigeria previously launched its CO2 ‘Storage Atlas’. It is the first public map of potential CO2 storage sites, emission hotspots
The study found that the country has 10,700 billion tonnes of prospective CO2 storage resources.
The concentration of industrial emissions, favourable geology, and potential legacy oil and gas transport networks in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Warri make them most suitable for carbon capture and storage clusters and hubs.
