NESREA Inaugurates Working Group on Carbon Capture Technology

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor, has inaugurated a Working Group for the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Technology and Innovation Platform (CTIP) to strengthen Nigeria’s environmental sustainability efforts.

Speaking during the virtual inauguration on Friday, Barikor said the CTIP initiative, launched in April, was designed to align economic growth with environmental sustainability in critical sectors such as energy, cement, manufacturing and heavy industry.

Represented by NESREA’s Director of Partnership and Education, Mrs. Bintu Kolo Mohammed, the Director-General said the working group would provide technical coordination, stakeholder engagement, policy support, research collaboration and implementation planning for the project.

“The Working Group is expected to serve as a catalyst for knowledge exchange, innovation, capacity development and strategic partnerships. It will also support the identification of priority projects, promote technology transfer, facilitate investment opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s readiness for emerging global carbon management frameworks,” he said.

Barikor urged members of the committee to carry out their responsibilities with dedication, professionalism and collaboration.

Also speaking, NESREA Director of Inspection and Enforcement, Dr. Christopher Beka, said Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) should not be viewed merely as a technology, but as a critical environmental integrity tool capable of reducing emissions and protecting air, water and land resources.

On his part, the Coordinator of the Africa Carbon Management Technology and Innovation Centre of Excellence (ACMTI) and facilitator of the CTIP, Dr. Richard Victor Osu, projected that CCUS would become a major national strength for Nigeria within the next five years.

Organisations represented at the inauguration included the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, National Council on Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Petroleum, Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Core Trust and Investment Ltd, Earth Sustainability Initiative, Artery Resources Limited and the Association of Power Generation Companies.

The CTIP Working Group is also supported by international and national advisers, including the International Finance Corporation, Clean Energy Ministerial CCUS Initiative, IEAGHG, the University of Texas Gulf Coast Carbon Centre, Banwo & Ighodalo and Halliburton.

CTIP is championed by the Federal Government through NESREA and ACMTI in partnership with the Clean Energy Ministerial Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Initiative.