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Journal of Environmental Law and Policy is an international, interdisciplinary journal that facilitates an understanding of environmental governance, policy and law issues not only by drawing upon and contributing to the environmental social sciences, but also linking the ecosystem health, natural resources, and social sciences. The aim of the journal is to promote communication among academia, government, business and industry, civil society groups, citizens’ action groups, and non-governmental organizations who are instrumental in the solving of environmental problems and grassroots level issues.
Jenigho Philip Esavwede
Delta State University, Faculty of Law, Oleh Campus, Nigeria.
Email: jpesavwede@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4132-9046
Ufuoma Garvin Oyibodoro*
Delta State University, Faculty of Law, Oleh Campus, Nigeria.
Email: garvinesquire@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8431-3471
*Corresponding author
(2025) 05 (01) Journal of Environmental Law and Policy 148-166 https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Received: 09 January 2025
Accepted: 27 March 2025
Reviewed: 11 February 2025
Published: 17 April 2025
Revised: 15 March 2025
No. of Views:
No. of Paper Downloads:
Gas flaring remains a persistent environmental and human rights challenge in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, exacerbated by inadequate enforcement of extant laws. This article employs a doctrinal and comparative methodology to critically examine the legal frameworks governing gas flaring in Nigeria, including the 1999 Constitution, the Petroleum Industry Act, the Flare Gas (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulations, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act. It highlights the adverse effects of gas flaring, such as environmental degradation, health risks, and economic losses, and juxtaposes Nigeria’s approach with Norway’s successful gas flaring abatement regime. The findings reveal that while Nigeria has adequate laws, their enforcement remains weak due to infrastructural deficits and a lack of political will. The article recommends stricter enforcement of existing laws, investment in gas utilization infrastructure, and adoption of international best practices, such as Norway’s regulatory oversight and technological advancements, to eliminate gas flaring and promote sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
Keywords: Gas Flaring; Niger delta; Legal framework; Environmental protection
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Jenigho Philip Esavwede and Ufuoma Garvin Oyibodoro, ‘Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework’ (2025) 05 (01) Journal of Environmental Law & Policy 148-166, https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Esavwede, J.P. and Oyibodoro, U.G. (2025). Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 05(01): 148-166. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Esavwede, J. P., & Oyibodoro, U. G. (2025). Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 05(01), 148-166. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Esavwede J. P., Oyibodoro U. G. Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 2025, 05 (01), 148-166. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Esavwede, Jenigho Philip, Oyibodoro, Ufuoma Garvin. 2025. “Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework”. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 05 no. 01: 148-166. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
Esavwede, Jenigho Philip and Ufuoma Garvin Oyibodoro. 2025. “Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Legal Challenges and Lessons from Norway’s Regulatory Framework”. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 05 (01): 148-166. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106
| Crossref: | https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp050106 |
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