Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) In 2003, Nigeria voluntarily signed up to the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The decision to accede to the EITI and establish the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) was taken in the context of the comprehensive socio-economic reform programme embarked upon by the Federal Government of Nigeria during the second term of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration which commenced on May, 29, 2003
The reform programme, which was encapsulated in the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS), focused on four main areas namely to improve Nigeria’s macro-economic environment; pursue structural reforms; strengthen public expenditure management and implement institutional and governance reforms. Implementing the EITI in Nigeria by establishing the NEITI was part of the institutional and governance reforms. Nigeria joined the EITI basically to promote prudent management of revenues from its abundant natural resources to reduce poverty and ensure sustainable development. The NEITI therefore represents the Nigerian national sub-set of the global EITI.
On May 28, 2007, a law, the NEITI Act 2007, was enacted to give the implementation of the Initiative in the Country a legal backing. With this, Nigeria became the first country in the global EITI to support the implementation with legislation. Following the emergence of the law, the NSWG was reconstituted accordingly and with Assisi Asobie, a civil society activist and political science professor, becoming its first Chairman.
The NSWG is composed of 15 members, including the Executive Secretary. Supporting the NSWG is the Secretariat that implements the decisions of the NSWG. The enactment of the NEITI Act was part of the measures taken to institutionalize the implementation of the EITI in Nigeria
On January 28, 2012, the tenure of Prof. Asobie led NSWG expired. Another NSWG was reconstituted on 22nd August 2012, with another civil society activist Ledum Mitee as Chairman while Mrs. Zainab Ahmed retained her position from the previous Board as the Executive Secretary. The Ledum Mitee led NSWG was dissolved on 16th July 2015.
Shortly before the end of her tenure as the Executive Secretary of NEITI in 2015, President President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Zainab Ahmed as the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning. The President also reconstituted the NSWG on 19th February 2016 and appointed the then Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as Chairman while Mr. Waziri Adio was appointed the Executive Secretary. The tenure of that Board (the 4th NSWG) expired on the 20th February, 2020.
On 18th February 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji as the Executive Secretary of NEITI and inaugurated the current NWSG on 22nd July 2021, with Mr. Adekunle Adesegun as its chairman.
Mission: To institutionalise accountability mechanisms and processes aimed at instilling a culture of transparency in Nigeria’s extractive sector for the benefit of all.
Vision: A Nigeria whose extractive sector is transparent, accountable, and beneficial to all Nigerians.
Core Values:
It focused on four main areas. These are:
- improving Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment
- pursuing structural reforms
- strengthening public expenditure management and
- implementing institutional and governance reforms.
For more info, visit www.neiti.gov.ng
