Methane emissions by sector in Nigeria
Nigeria: Methane emissions by sector was 180,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Methane emissions by sector in Nigeria, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 180,000 tonnes for methane emissions by sector in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 28.6% on the previous year and down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane emissions by sector in Nigeria peaked at 10.03 million tonnes in 1996 and was at its lowest, 40,000 tonnes, in 2018.
That places Nigeria 32nd out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.76 million tonnes | 1.76 million tonnes | 10.03 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.15 million tonnes | 80,000 tonnes | 9.40 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 129,000 tonnes | 40,000 tonnes | 240,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 247,500 tonnes | 140,000 tonnes | 500,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More climate change data for Nigeria
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.7% (2100)
- Population growth 2.1% (2025)
- Population, total 237.53 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.3% (2025)
- Urban population 151.48 million (2025)
- Urban population 63.8% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 0.5837 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 4.71 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 0.5837 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 0.5837 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane emissions by sector in Nigeria?
- Methane emissions by sector in Nigeria was 180,000 tonnes in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest methane emissions by sector recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 10.03 million tonnes in 1996.
- What is the lowest methane emissions by sector recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 40,000 tonnes in 2018.
- How does Nigeria rank for methane emissions by sector?
- Nigeria ranks 32nd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is methane emissions by sector rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Methane emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents.