How African perspectives are powering progress on regional methane mitigation 

When we talk about climate change in Africa, methane is rarely at the center of the conversation. It often takes a back seat to carbon dioxide and other more visible environmental issues such as water scarcity, flooding, erosion, desertification, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. Nevertheless, methane is quietly doing damage in the background by trapping more heat in the short term than any other greenhouse gas—it has already driven half a degree Celsius of the warming the world is experiencing today.  

Around 23% of human-generated methane globally and approximately 68% in Africa stems from oil and gas systems that often lack design features to capture or prevent emissions. But it does not have to be this way. Methane is also a main component of natural gas and, if captured and used properly, it can power economies and support more stable electricity systems. Through the right regulations and partnerships, Africa could transform this overlooked pollutant into a powerful tool for development and climate action. 

This approach underpins our work at Clean Air Task Force (CATF), supported by a two-year grant from The Lemelson Foundation. A key focus of this project is amplifying the voices of African organizations with deep knowledge of their local contexts and the ability to engage effectively with their communities. To this end, we partnered with Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) in Ghana, and Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) in Tunisia to help articulate the what and why of methane, and the role it can play in Africa’s future. The first of their publications offers fresh, locally grounded perspectives that can inform policy and ensure that methane mitigation efforts align with Africa’s priorities and opportunities.  

Optimizing Ghana’s gas resources to cut emissions and strengthen the economy  

ACEP’s essay, “The Methane Dilemma: Ghana’s Climate Risk and Energy Opportunity”, examines Ghana’s energy system with a clear-eyed view of its challenges. Ghana has experienced repeated power crises, first because of an overreliance on hydroelectric power when water levels dropped, then a shift to predominantly oil-fired thermal power, which exposed it to instabilities in the price of oil. In response to the latter, Ghana made a concerted effort to switch from oil to gas for electricity production. Today, gas is the backbone of the electricity grid, but the infrastructure needed to process and deliver that gas has not kept up with demand.  

The result of this lack of infrastructure has been significant gas flaring: over 120 billion cubic feet of gas were flared between 2020 and 2024, averaging about 24.6 billion cubic feet annually. By comparison, average annual exports, mainly for power generation and industrial use, stood at about 103 billion cubic feet. That is a staggering figure. In a country where electricity supply remains a challenge, wasting such a significant volume of usable energy is both harmful to the environment and a poor economic choice.  

In response, ACEP highlights how expanding gas processing infrastructure could reduce emissions while saving the government hundreds of millions of dollars in avoided fuel costs. By linking methane mitigation to energy reliability and economic benefits, it shows how better management of resources can deliver tangible improvements for Ghanaians.  

Making the case for smart regulations  

In North Africa, OSS takes a regional view in its essay, “Turning Methane into Opportunity: How Smart Regulations Can Strengthen Africa’s Oil and Gas Sector”. The piece argues that African oil and gas companies do not have to follow the path taken by older oil and gas producers—spending decades polluting before taking corrective action. Instead the industry can design better systems now.  

Drawing on examples from Ghana and Nigeria, where CATF has worked with national regulators and scientists to strengthen methane monitoring, reporting, and regulatory frameworks, OSS shows that even with limited resources, African countries are finding creative ways to act on methane.  

OSS focuses on regulation as a driver of growth and opportunity. By capturing more of what they extract, oil and gas producers can reduce waste, cut pollution, and increase revenues— making their respective countries more attractive to investors. It also makes the industry more credible in the eyes of nearby communities, who often suffer the most from methane leaks and flaring. The message is clear: strong, well‑designed policies are essential for a competitive and responsible energy sector.  

The power of local voices  

Beyond the data and recommendations, what makes these two essays important is that they were written by local experts, for local audiences, in their own voices. ACEP’s Charles Gyamfi Ofori speaks as someone who has seen Ghana’s energy challenges up close, while OSS captures the growing momentum for methane mitigation that is quietly building in North and West Africa.  

This is part of what a “bottom-up” approach to climate action can look like: listening to the people who know the terrain, geography, politics, media, and culture, and equipping them with the tools to lead and speak with authority.  

The essays are also part of broader efforts. Both organizations are engaging journalists, holding media briefings, and working closely with national outlets to ensure their messages are in the right hands. They wrote to spark conversations with policymakers, industry leaders, and with everyday readers.  

Looking ahead  

ACEP and OSS will publish additional essays in the months ahead, building on the momentum they have already created and continuing to make methane a central part of the climate and development conversation.  

For CATF, this work underscores the value of investing in local organizations and  trusting them to lead. Africa has the talent and leadership needed to be at the forefront of climate solutions; what is often missing is the platform. This project is helping to change that.   

Methane is far more than gas; it is a powerful signal of where our systems are breaking down, where valuable resources slip through the cracks, and where focused interventions can deliver meaningful results for both climate stability and economic growth.  

Working alongside ACEP in Ghana and OSS in Tunisia, we are laying the groundwork for a wider change that puts African expertise and strategic collaboration at the heart of efforts to reduce methane emissions. This is not a short-term initiative, but the beginning of a sustained effort to change how methane is seen and addressed on the continent, and we are only just starting to realize the full potential of this growing momentum.