The Nigerian Government has been taken before the ECOWAS Court of Justice for failing to stop gas flaring and emissions. The plaintiffs argue that this violates Nigeria’s human rights and environmental obligations.
Enabulele Esq., a professor of international law, filed the suit on 22 September 2025. He acted for himself and the Centre for Community Law (CfCL), naming Nigeria as the sole respondent.
The case lists 16 prayers. These include an order for Nigeria to “compel multinational oil companies to comply with environmental protection laws” and to “immediately put in place an adequate and effective compensation programme for victims of gas flaring.”
CfCL said on 25 September that restitution may include rebuilding damaged infrastructure and restoring ecosystems. They want the Court to decide if continuous flaring breaches the African Charter, UN climate treaties, and Nigeria’s Climate Change and Petroleum Industry Acts.
CfCL added: “The Respondent is a major oil producer. In the course of producing oil, gas is flared in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and other states.”
They noted penalties for flaring stand at US$2 per 1,000 cubic feet. From this, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) collected ₦98.5bn in 2021, ₦70.4bn in 2022, ₦140.5bn in 2023, and ₦391.2bn in 2024.
“Despite these penalties, Nigeria is notoriously known for constant gas flaring, with health and environmental impacts,” the CfCL warned. They argued the government has failed to enforce its own laws or meet global climate pledges.
Wide Demands Before the Court
The plaintiffs want declarations that gas flaring violates rights to life, health, dignity, environment, and work. They ask the Court to rule that host communities are the only rightful beneficiaries of flaring penalties.
They also seek an order for Nigeria to conduct an independent investigation into active flaring sites, name the companies involved, and publish findings. Another demand is that the government “publicly acknowledge responsibility and apologise to victims.”
Other prayers include full enforcement of the Climate Change and Petroleum Acts, medical support for victims, relocation of families near flaring sites, and monitoring of oil companies with tougher fines. They also want a clear roadmap for ending gas flaring by 2030 and restitution for damaged ecosystems.
The NUPRC recently reported reserves of 37.24 billion barrels of crude oil and 210.5 trillion cubic feet of gas. Oil and gas provide more than 56% of Nigeria’s budget. Reports estimate that gas worth US$1.9bn was flared between 2020 and 2024.
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