THE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) was at a crossroads when I assumed office, the Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, has said.
He made this known at a media press conference held at NEITI House, Abuja on Friday, March 28.
Titled, ‘Strengthening Transparency, Deepening Accountability-the NEITI Journey’, Orji highlighted the challenges the institution had faced as well as the achievements it had made.
He said, “When I assumed office, we inherited an institution at a crossroads. NEITI was grappling with serious operational, institutional, and governance challenges that threatened its effectiveness.”
He disclosed that a functional National Stakeholders Working Group, (NSWG) – a key requirement for sustaining Nigeria’s membership in the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), was non existent.
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“There was the threat of eviction from a rented office space, coupled with an ageing, top-heavy, and disoriented workforce in urgent need of revitalisation,” he said.
Orji identified other challenges to include, financial constraints, stakeholder apathy, and weak institutional capacity as well as poor programme content, policy focus, and declining public confidence.
“Beyond these internal challenges, the global extractive industry was undergoing rapid transformation. Issues such as energy transition, beneficial ownership transparency, contract disclosure, and the implementation of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) were reshaping the sector,” he added.
According to him, NEITI needed to adapt not just to remain relevant but to lead the charge for greater accountability in extractive governance.
He, however, noted that since his assumption, the institution has made remarkable achievements.
These include, enhancing industry reporting and public disclosure, improving the scope, quality, and timeliness of NEITI’s industry reports, and expanding its reporting focus to include beneficial ownership, contract transparency, and environmental impacts.
Others are, strengthening stakeholder engagement, deepening civil society and public advocacy, institutional strengthening and workforce development, initiation of a five-year strategic plan (2022–2026), and establishment of the NEITI Data Center Project.
Orji further listed some achievements including the reconstitution of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) and the strengthening of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda.
Speaking on environmental liabilities and remediation commitments, he said oil and gas companies must be held accountable for clean-up costs and remediation efforts.
“NEITI will work with NUPRC and the Ministry of Environment to ensure transparency in environmental remediation funds,” Orji stated.
He said, “Despite these, institutional constraints, funding limitations, and resistance to change must be continuously addressed.”
He assured that moving forward NEITI would deepen beneficial ownership disclosures, strengthen revenue tracking and contract transparency, and ensure full implementation of extractive sector governance reforms.
“Transparency is not just a policy; it is a responsibility. NEITI remains steadfast in ensuring that Nigeria’s oil, gas, and mining revenues are managed for the benefit of all citizens.
“However, achieving this vision requires a collective effort,” Orji said.