Survey finds 89% of Nigerians back methane emission cuts, up from 72% in 2024
- A new international survey found 89 per cent of Nigerian adults support cutting methane emissions, up 17 points from 2024.
- Poor water quality, flooding and drinking water top Nigerians' environmental worries, the poll found.
- Most respondents see oil and gas companies as major polluters but also capable of fixing the problem.
Nearly nine in ten Nigerian adults want action to cut methane emissions, according to a new international survey, a jump of 17 percentage points from two years ago.
The poll, commissioned by the Global Methane Hub with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, put support in Nigeria at 89 per cent, up from 72 per cent in 2024. It covered 18 countries across four continents, with at least 700 respondents in Nigeria out of 12,189 adults globally.
For ordinary Nigerians, the findings point to worries close to home. Poor water quality topped the list of concerns, with 67 per cent of respondents saying they were very concerned. Flooding and access to drinking water followed at 60 per cent each, while 55 per cent were seriously worried about poor air quality.
Just over half, 53 per cent, said they were very concerned about climate change itself. About 69 per cent believed human activity causes climate change, and 64 per cent said they were familiar with methane.
Oil and gas in the spotlight
Methane is a greenhouse gas released during oil and gas production, farming and waste disposal. According to the report, it is responsible for about 30 per cent of warming since pre-industrial times and is more than 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide over 20 years, though it breaks down in the atmosphere within about a decade.
Some 57 per cent of Nigerian respondents named oil and gas companies among the three biggest contributors to climate change. Yet 78 per cent also said the industry is very capable of making meaningful changes, suggesting Nigerians see it as both part of the problem and part of the solution.
Support for cuts was broad across sectors: 84 per cent backed reducing methane from agriculture, while 88 per cent supported action on waste disposal and on energy production.
Marcelo Mena, chief executive of the Global Methane Hub, said the pressure from flooding and water problems makes the case clear. "As flooding and water challenges put greater pressure on communities across Nigeria, the case for tackling methane is becoming increasingly clear," he said.
He added that cutting leaks, venting and flaring would reduce pollution and safety risks for host communities, and could make Nigerian oil and gas more competitive as buyers in Europe demand lower-methane supply.
Tengi George-Ikoli, Nigeria country manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, said Nigerians are right to be concerned about the harm methane causes to health, the environment and livelihoods. She called for stronger enforcement of environmental rules and accountability, noting that Niger Delta communities already bear the cost of degradation.
The report also flagged corruption as a major obstacle to enforcing environmental regulations.
Globally, 85 per cent of respondents backed action on methane. Support was highest in South Korea at 94 per cent, followed by Malaysia at 91 per cent, with China and Brazil at 90 per cent each. Nigeria and South Africa tied at 89 per cent.
The report said cutting human-caused methane emissions by 45 per cent this decade could avoid nearly 0.3 degrees Celsius of warming by 2045, while improving air quality, protecting public health and farm productivity, and creating jobs.
What happens next
The survey is a measure of public opinion, not government policy. It does not say what, if anything, regulators plan to do with the findings. But with elections and energy policy debates ahead, the numbers give a sense of how much room politicians have to push for tougher rules on flaring and leaks.
