Enhancing Transparency: NEITI Collaborates with International Community to Advance Oil, Gas, and Mining Sectors
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has made significant progress in promoting transparency in the oil, gas, and mining sectors, with the backing of prominent diplomatic missions in Nigeria. During a recent meeting with NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, international ambassadors pledged their commitment to enhancing NEITI’s efforts in providing technical assistance and governance reforms within Nigeria’s extractive industries.
Mr. Pieter Leenknegt, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Nigeria, High Commissioner James Christoff of Canada, and Ms. Leann Johnston, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Australian High Commission, all expressed their keen interest in NEITI’s reports and activities within the extractive sector. They commended Nigeria’s dedication to implementing the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Mr. Leenknegt particularly praised NEITI’s 2021 Oil, Gas, and Solid Minerals Industry Reports for their groundbreaking disclosures and overall commitment to enhancing transparency and accountability in the sector. He pledged Belgium’s support in expanding NEITI’s operations into the Solid Minerals sector, with a focus on capacity building to attract investors.
High Commissioner Christoff highlighted the Solid Minerals sector as a priority for Canada and expressed willingness to collaborate with NEITI to provide reliable information for potential Canadian investors. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration in information and data sharing, training, capacity building, and providing technical support.
Ms. Johnston from the Australian High Commission welcomed Nigeria’s policy on economic diversification and expressed confidence in NEITI’s role in supporting this initiative with reliable information and data in the Extractive Industries.
In response, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji reaffirmed NEITI’s commitment to working with relevant ministries to open the solid minerals sector to public engagement and to implement groundbreaking reforms. He emphasized NEITI’s support for the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in reforming and repositioning the sector as an alternative revenue source, given its current contribution of less than 1 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP).
Orji identified NEITI’s international affiliations, civil society partnerships, and government ownership as major strengths, and expressed delight in the renewed interest and support from the Belgian, Canadian, and Australian embassies.
As NEITI continues to champion transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and mining sectors, this collaboration with the international community will undoubtedly pave the way for more robust governance reforms and increased participation from the private sector. The support from the diplomatic missions underscores the global significance of transparency in extractive industries, and it is a step in the right direction for Nigeria’s economic development and global competitiveness.
