On Friday, 23 May 2026, the Programs Director of Greener Impact International (GII), Mr. Mawuena E. Goka, was featured on ''Radio de la Paix'' in Abidjan for an interview focused on methane emissions in Côte d’Ivoire’s rapidly expanding oil and gas sector. As the country continues to emerge as a major energy producer in West Africa, discussions around environmental sustainability and climate responsibility are becoming increasingly important in order to avoid past mistakes from predecessors in the extractive industry.
The interview followed the publication of a research-based article by GII examining methane emissions associated with Côte d’Ivoire's growing hydrocarbons industry and the opportunities that methane mitigation presents for both climate action and economic development. It explored the remarkable transformation of the country's energy sector over the past few years and how important it is for the country not to choose between economic development and environmental protection, but rather to pursue both simultaneously.
During the discussions, Mr. Goka highlighted the need for Côte d’Ivoire to integrate methane management into its broader energy development strategy, the need to put in place clear policies and strong, reliable and effective implementation measures. While acknowledging the significant economic benefits generated by recent oil and gas discoveries, he emphasized that proactive action on methane emissions can help the country maximize the value of its energy resources while strengthening its climate commitments.
He noted that the oil and gas sector is among the largest sources of methane emissions globally as the sector releases methane into the atmosphere through venting, flaring, equipment leaks, and other operational losses occurring during the production, processing, storage, and transportation of oil and natural gas. As Côte d’Ivoire expands its petroleum production through major projects such as the Baleine field and other emerging hydrocarbon developments, the country has an opportunity to avoid some of the methane management challenges experienced by older oil and gas producing nations.
According to Mr. Goka, Côte d’Ivoire is in a unique position because its energy sector is still growing, offering the country an opportunity to integrate best practices and methane mitigation measures (that are nowadays available for the sector) from the outset rather than trying to correct problems years later. The good news being that the technologies deployed to mitigate methane emissions, aside from constituting operational expenses, usually double as investments that can offset a substantial portion of the cost of implementing these mitigation measures. This makes methane reduction one of the most cost-effective climate actions available within the energy sector.
