Foreigners Involved in Oil Theft and Illegal Mining with Help from Nigerians According to NEITI
The recent findings by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have brought to light the troubling involvement of foreigners in oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal mining, and the brazen theft of solid minerals, often with the collaboration of Nigerians. During the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day 2023 in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, underscored these criminal activities, emphasizing the substantial losses incurred by Nigeria as a result.
Among the most alarming revelations is the staggering loss of over 619 million barrels of crude oil, equivalent to $46.16 billion or N16.25 trillion Naira, between 2009 and 2020. Furthermore, the country suffered the loss of 4.2 billion litres of petroleum products from refineries, valued at $1.84 billion, at a rate of 140,000 barrels per day from 2009 to 2018. The deliberate vandalism of vital national assets, such as pipelines, has exacerbated the situation. Over a five-year period, from 2017 to 2021, Nigeria experienced 7,143 cases of pipeline breakages and deliberate vandalism, resulting in a total loss of 208.639 million barrels worth $12.74 million or N4.325 trillion. NEITI’s reports also revealed that over N471. 493 billion was spent on repairing and maintaining these pipelines.
In response to these distressing statistics, NEITI is advocating for a stronger collaboration and partnerships between stakeholders to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to address the corruption issues ailing the country. The organization is dedicated to supporting the fight against corruption through the sharing of credible information and data in order to minimize, if not eliminate, corruption in the governance of Nigeria’s extractive sector.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing corruption by outlining the Framework for the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. This framework is focused on five pillars – Prevention of Corruption; Public Engagement; Campaign for Ethical Re-orientation; Enforcement and Sanction; and Recovery and Management of Proceeds of Crime. Under these pillars, the government aims to strengthen the legal and institutional framework designed to prevent and combat corruption, mainstream anti-corruption principles into governance and service delivery, and integrate anti-corruption into sub-national public administration.
Jane Onwumere, the head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), emphasized the global significance of the fight against corruption and the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. She commended Nigeria for its commitment to fulfilling its treaty obligations and indicated the country’s continued dedication to combatting corruption.
The revelations made by NEITI serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the root causes of corruption that have perpetuated the loss of valuable resources and revenue in Nigeria. It is imperative for the government to work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders to implement effective measures aimed at eradicating corruption and safeguarding the country’s valuable assets. This will not only ensure sustainable peace, security, and development in Nigeria, but also promote transparency and accountability in the governance of the extractive sector.
