Abuja: The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to redefine their roles within the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) framework. NEITI has emphasized the need for CSOs to adopt stronger, knowledge-driven leadership approaches in governance reforms.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, made this appeal during a visit to Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), in Abuja. Orji urged civil society to evolve from their traditional advocacy roles and become proactive solution providers in Nigeria’s extractive sector. He highlighted the importance of civil society in the EITI process, noting their role in demanding disclosures and protecting civic space, but he stressed that the future requires more active participation.
Orji outlined a new agenda where civil society should lead in energy transition accountability by developing scorecards to track government and company commitments and shaping community transition plans to ensure inclusivity. He advocated for CSOs to go beyond merely demanding contract and beneficial ownership disclosures to analyzing them for risks and extracting lessons for policy and citizens.
He emphasized the need for active involvement in resource mobilization, fiscal justice, providing alternative policy options on revenue, subsidy reforms, debt sustainability, and equitable development. Orji also called for vigilance against illicit financial flows, encouraging collaboration with investigative journalists, financial intelligence units, and global watchdogs.
NEITI has signed Memoranda of Understanding with the EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, and is finalizing partnerships with the National Bureau of Statistics and NNPC Ltd., creating new platforms for civil society engagement. Orji revealed that NEITI’s 2024 industry reports on oil, gas, and solid minerals are expected to be released by the end of 2025.
He encouraged CISLAC to expand its civic bulletins into peer-reviewed scholarly publications to enhance research, teaching, and global thought leadership in extractive governance. Orji reaffirmed NEITI’s commitment to maintaining an open civic space and collaborating with civil society partners on reform initiatives.
In response, CISLAC Executive Director and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Rafsanjani, reiterated the shared commitment of both organisations to reforms in the extractive sector. He recalled civil society’s role in advocating for Nigeria’s adoption of the EITI in 2003, which led to the enactment of the NEITI Act in 2007, positioning Nigeria as the first country to formally implement EITI and embed transparency in resource governance.
Rafsanjani highlighted the close collaboration between CISLAC and NEITI over the years, focusing on policy dialogues, awareness campaigns, community engagements, and advocacy for beneficial ownership transparency. He acknowledged NEITI’s contributions to exposing governance gaps, saving Nigeria substantial funds, and informing critical policy decisions.
He stressed the urgency of collaboration as Nigeria faces challenges related to dwindling oil revenues, energy transition, and governance risks in the solid minerals sector. Rafsanjani emphasized that the nation’s true wealth lies in how resources are managed and shared, calling for stronger use of NEITI’s audit reports to drive accountability, enhance legislative advocacy, build capacity for journalists and civil society, and protect civic space in extractive governance.
