The non-profit said the results of the global assessment testify to NEITI’s diligent commitment to discharging its mandate and called on the federal government to constitute the agency’s board without delay
OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative (OAI), a non-governmental orgnisation focused on policy related engagement and intervention, has applauded the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for scaling through an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) assessment with an impressive score.
The OAI is an non-profit that seeks to amplify the voices and participation of under-represented citizens snd promote inclusion in leadership and political decision-making.
In a statement issued by the executive director, Oke Epia, the initiative noted that Nigeria’s score in the international assessment which focused on transparency, stakeholders’ engagement and outcomes and impacts was a significant proof of NEITI’s dedication to promoting openness, accountability and civic enlightenment in the extractive industry.
The initiative described the 11-month-long assessment as a “notable testament to the agency’s strong commitment to fostering openness and accountability within the extractive industries.
“OAI is particularly pleased that Nigeria scored an overall 72 points in the international assessment, which focused on three major thematic areas – transparency, stakeholders’ engagement and outcomes and impacts.
“That Nigeria, through the admirable efforts of NEITI, recorded an impressive score of 92 points on outcomes and impacts speaks to the agency’s conscientious and diligent work in promoting openness, accountability and civic enlightenment in the country’s extractive industries.”
OAI also urged the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, to establish the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI in order to ensure improved transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
“In that way, Nigeria can improve on her current score of 71.5 on implementing transparency driven reforms in the extractive industry by the next assessment due in 2026.
“OAI, therefore, commends Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, the management team and the staff of the agency for the achievement. We urge them to scale up engagements with civil society actors making an impact in the extractive space, especially with respect to dissemination and making use of NEITI reports to mount needed public pressure on political authorities, regulators and indeed all entities (private and public) in the extractive sector to implement recommendations contained in its annual audits and other specialised publications,” the statement read in part.
The initiative also reiterated its dedication to ensure that Nigerians at grassroot level are informed about the extraction of mineral resources using RemTrack, a digital application for citizen engagement on NEITI oil and gas audits.
RemTrack was unveiled by OrderPaper in 2019 to provide provides users with a simplified overview of the oil and gas sector and provides information on outcomes and opportunity costs of losses or gaps in the oil sector.
Below is the full statement:
OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative (OAI) commends the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) on scaling a recent global assessment by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) with high scores.
OAI is particularly pleased that Nigeria scored an overall 72 points in the international assessment, which focused on three major thematic areas – transparency, stakeholders’ engagement and outcomes and impacts.
That Nigeria, through the admirable efforts of NEITI, recorded an impressive score of 92 points on outcomes and impacts speaks to the agency’s conscientious and diligent work in promoting openness, accountability and civic enlightenment in the country’s extractive industries.
However, OAI notes that the 52.5 points recorded on stakeholders’ engagements in the assessment calls for improved use of NEITI reports by civic actors and the general public. We, therefore, use this medium to enjoin the President Bola Tinubu administration to make haste to constitute the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI so as to galvanize uptake of plans and activities by the management of the agency to keep raising the bar of transparency and accountability in the petroleum, and solid mineral sectors of the country. In that way, Nigeria can improve on her current score of 71.5 on implementing transparency driven reforms in the extractive industry by the next assessment due in 2026.
Overall, OAI believes that NEITI’s outing in the 11-month-long assessment is a notable testament to the agency’s strong commitment to fostering openness and accountability within the extractive industries.
OAI, therefore, commends Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, the management team and the staff of the agency for the achievement. We urge them to scale up engagements with civil society actors making an impact in the extractive space, especially with respect to dissemination and making use of NEITI reports to mount needed public pressure on political authorities, regulators and indeed all entities (private and public) in the extractive sector to implement recommendations contained in its annual audits and other specialized publications.
Being a key partner with NEITI, OrderPaper will continue to deploy its revamped RemTrack platform to increase dissemination of and civic engagements with the audits and publications even to the grassroots, especially host communities that continue to bear the brunt of extraction, production and processing of petroleum and solid minerals across the country.
