Big Oil, militants destroy Niger Delta; Now gas flaring is last nail in coffin

[Carlsbad + 19]

We all know that big oil and the militancy in the Niger Delta have destroyed this place for local communities, but I hadn't heard about the gas flaring problem until recently. 

Quartz offers up this photo as an 'everyday' reality:

 

But the really interesting part is the tax regime, which makes it actually lucrative to engage in gas flaring.

[Kate Turlington + 44]

It's a beautiful loophole. First they were charging $3.5 for every 1,000 SCF of gas flared, and that made it more expensive than flaring, so no one did it. Then they opted for a 'fine' to try to stop this, ostensibly. However, it wasn't really a 'fine', but a 'charge'--which was tax deductible!

[Seleskya + 50]

Nigeria's finance minister says this policy has cost the state billions.