By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the Africa Carbon Management Technology & Innovation Centre of Excellence and in partnership with the Clean Energy Ministerial Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Initiative, has launched a Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Initiative Platform in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The platform, unveiled at a hybrid event attended by both local and international stakeholders, is designed to promote carbon management technologies, deepen industrial decarbonisation, and position Nigeria as a key player in global climate action.
Experts from the United States, France, Brazil, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom participated in the launch, offering insights on innovation and deployment pathways.
The Director General of NESREA, Innocent Barikor, described the initiative as a significant step toward achieving environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and industrial transformation, noting that it aligns with Nigeria’s broader development agenda and global climate commitments.
Barikor said carbon capture utilisation and storage presents a viable economic pathway for cutting emissions across critical sectors. He explained that captured carbon can be repurposed for use in beverage production, cement manufacturing, chemical and fuel production, enhanced oil recovery, and agriculture.
He added that the initiative promotes a circular economy by transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities. “Reducing carbon in the atmosphere to beneficial levels is critical. CCUS provides the means to capture, store, and reuse carbon productively across industries,”he said.
The NESREA boss further noted that the platform is structured as a multi-stakeholder ecosystem bringing together government agencies, industry leaders, academia, technology developers, investors, and development partners to drive innovation and large-scale deployment.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Owunari Georgewill, commended the initiative, describing it as a practical mechanism for coordination and action toward achieving Nigeria’s 2035 climate targets and broader energy transition ambitions.
Georgewill said the university is well positioned to host the initiative, citing the capacity of its Energy Technology Institute and its proven expertise in energy transition research relevant to CCUS development.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of ACMTI, Richard Victor Osu, said the initiative is aimed at positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for carbon management technologies while contributing to Africa’s climate goals and global decarbonisation efforts.
He added that Port Harcourt was selected due to its strategic potential as a CCUS hub, noting that the platform would prioritise research and innovation, capacity building, public-private partnerships, investment promotion, and international collaboration.
For Juho Lipponen, the partnership will support Nigeria in strengthening carbon management programmes, unlocking financing opportunities, and expanding global partnerships to accelerate the growth of CCUS technologies.
Key stakeholders at the event included the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, the National Council on Climate Change, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, as well as representatives from academia, the private sector, and development partners.
