Nigeria has scaled through the
final global assessment of the implementation of the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the country.
The result of the assessment
was announced by the International Board of the EITI at its 58th Board meeting
coordinated from the international headquarters in Norway and presided over by
the Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Nigeria recorded an overall
score of 72 points in the international assessment which lasted over a period
of 11 months.
The country was assessed on
three major thematic areas of transparency, stakeholders’ engagement and
outcomes and impacts.
In these three major areas,
Nigeria recorded her highest score of 92 points on outcomes and impacts, 71.5
points on implementing transparency driven reforms in the extractive industry
and 52.5points on stakeholders’ engagements.
In arriving at the decision
for Nigeria’s rating of 72 points over 100, the Board particularly noted
Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI’s) effective
implementation of EITI in the country with “Visible and tangible impacts on extractive
industry governance”.
The international board noted
that the score of 92 points recorded in the area of outcomes and impacts
reflected what the global EITI calls “NEITI’s robust system for developing
workplans for implementation, monitoring and evaluation, dissemination and
outreach.
The twenty-member Board
chaired by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Ms Helen Clark applauded
the visible and tangible impacts of NEITI in leading extractive industry
reforms and governance in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
The global Board added that
data integrity and access as contained in NEITI’s reports also recorded 90
points which reflected that information and data from NEITI reports are not
only credible but globally acknowledged to be comprehensive.
Reacting to the global
assessment report, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji said
that “As an agency, NEITI expected a higher overall score for Nigeria given
government’s support, stakeholders’ collaboration, the quantum and quality of
work that NEITI has put in on behalf of the federal government in the past two
years. Our expectation was an overall minimum score of 90 points in all the
three major indicators”.
He however stated that “NEITI
is happy that Nigeria recorded her highest score of 90 points in the area of
quality, openness and integrity of data, outcomes and impacts in the NEITI
report”.
The Executive Secretary added
that NEITI remains fully committed to outcomes and impacts that translates to
visible results that shape the ongoing reforms which will guarantee more
revenues for government through the blocking of leakages to improve the lives
of Nigerians.
Ogbonnaya Orji further
remarked that the global EITI’s endorsement of Nigeria’s comprehensiveness and
data integrity is very important for the work is doing in Nigeria, given the
importance of credible information and data to support planning and national
development.
NEITI is equally delighted
with the score of 90 points recorded on contribution to economic growth and
development as this points to the fact that the agency’s work has been
impactful and aligns to the national priorities of government.
The ES promised that “NEITI,
working more closely with the government, civil society and extractive
companies is fully set to mobilise more work towards addressing the areas that
need improvement as clearly highlighted in the report. These include deepening
engagements with government, companies, civil society and the citizens.
Other areas for improvement
are priority attention to the development of the solid minerals sector,
expanding beneficial ownership disclosures and all other emerging issues in the
extractive sector as outlined in the EITI Board assessment for improvement.
The Executive Secretary
however, expressed regrets that the absence of the NSWG as required by the EITI
Standard to provide oversight adversely affected Nigeria’s overall performance
in the international assessment.
Dr. Orji renewed the
agency’s and stakeholders’ calls for the urgency to reconstitute the NSWG
affected by the recent dissolution of all Boards of MDAs in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary
thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria, the civil society, oil, gas and
mining companies and development partners for their support and valued
contribution during the validation process of Nigeria coordinated by NEITI.
The global EITI has scheduled
the 1 January 2026 for its next global assessment of Nigeria, during which it
expects that all corrective actions should have been strengthened.
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