Nigeria joins US, Qatar, Algeria in urging EU to rewrite methane import rules
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the energy ministers of the United States, Qatar, Nigeria and Algeria sent an open letter to European Union leaders urging them to pause the EU’s upcoming methane‑emissions rules for oil and gas imports and instead adopt targeted amendments. The ministers warned that the regulation, set to take effect next year, would require methane monitoring and verification on all fuel deliveries to the bloc and could make it impossible to import liquefied natural gas from the US and its allies, risking blackouts or heating shortages in Europe this winter. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said he is open to discussion but will not dilute the rule’s ambition, while several EU governments have already asked for a three‑year delay amid fears of supply disruption linked to the Iran war.
For Nigeria, a major exporter of LNG to Europe, the rule threatens a valuable export stream and the revenue it generates for the national budget. Complying would require investment in methane detection and reporting infrastructure across production and export facilities, while non‑compliance could shut out European buyers. Competing studies offer opposing views: a Wood Mackenzie analysis warns nearly half of the EU’s gas imports could struggle to meet the standard, whereas Rystad Energy research commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund finds compliant gas available at three times current EU demand.
Will Nigeria invest in methane‑monitoring technology to keep its EU market access, or look to diversify its gas exports to other regions?