EITI member countries strive to disclose information across the extractive industry value chain, from extraction rights awarding to revenue management and public benefits. The EITI International Board announced Nigeria’s score at its 58th board meeting in Oslo, Norway, chaired by Helen Clark, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Nigeria excelled with 90 points in areas like data integrity, report comprehensiveness, outcomes, impacts, and legal framework adherence, culminating in an overall 72% score. The 11-month assessment period focused on transparency, stakeholder engagement, and outcomes/impacts. Nigeria achieved its highest score of 92 in outcomes and impacts, followed by 71.5 in transparency reforms, and 52.5 in stakeholder engagements.
The EITI Board highlighted the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)’s impactful implementation of EITI standards, noting significant contributions to governance in oil, gas, and mining sectors. The Board acknowledged NEITI reports’ data integrity, granting it 90 points for comprehensive and globally recognized information.
Reacting to the assessment, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, expressed expectations of a higher score, acknowledging government support and stakeholder collaboration. He, however, appreciated the high scores in data quality, openness, and impact areas. Orji emphasized NEITI’s commitment to results-driven reforms, enhancing government revenue and improving Nigerian lives.
Orji also noted the global endorsement of NEITI’s data comprehensiveness and integrity, crucial for planning and national development. He celebrated NEITI’s 90-point score in contributing to economic growth, aligning with national priorities.
NEITI plans to address highlighted improvement areas, including deeper government and stakeholder engagements, solid minerals sector development, and expanding beneficial ownership disclosures. Orji mentioned that the absence of the National Stakeholder Working Group (NSWG) impacted Nigeria’s overall performance, calling for its urgent reconstitution following its dissolution.
The next global EITI assessment for Nigeria is scheduled for January 1, 2026, where the Board expects strengthened corrective actions.
