The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s extractive industries as assessors from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) begin the validation of the country’s implementation of global standards.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, gave the assurance yesterday in Abuja when he received a delegation of EITI Global Validation Assessors.
Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO), Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, said the validation exercise aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda of promoting openness, good governance and sustainable economic growth.
‘Nigeria is proud to be part of EITI. Our commitment stems from our belief in transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. As a signatory to the EITI charter, we are committed, on behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to keep our systems open to the EITI process,’ the SGF said.
In a statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the office of the SGF, Chris Ugwuegbulam, Akume described the presence of the global assessors in Nigeria as further evidence of the government’s determination to subject the management of the extractive sector to international scrutiny and standards.
‘This visit by the global assessors is a testament to our resolve to uphold international standards and to demonstrate to the world that Nigeria is serious about accountability in the extractive sector,’ Akume added.
The SGF said the Federal Government was strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving access to data and ensuring that activities in the extractive industries complied with national laws and international standards.
According to him, ongoing reforms are designed to tackle challenges in the sector and ensure that the country’s natural resources deliver greater benefits to Nigerians.
‘We are implementing reforms aimed at increasing transparency. The government is determined to address the challenges in the Nigerian extractive industry within the shortest possible time to ensure a seamless validation process and guarantee that our natural resources benefit all citizens,’ he said.
Akume urged the EITI assessors to engage extensively with relevant stakeholders during the exercise, assuring the team of the Federal Government’s full support towards achieving a comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s implementation of EITI standards.
Leader of the EITI Global Validation Team, Mr Riley Zecca, commended Nigeria for what he described as its proactive approach to the implementation of the initiative.
Zecca said Nigeria remained important to the EITI Global Secretariat, particularly because of the size of its extractive industry and reforms being undertaken in the sector.
‘We appreciate being here. Our goal is to support the NEITI Secretariat in navigating the new requirements of the 2023 EITI Standard and to make this validation a learning and capacity-building experience,’ he said.
Earlier, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, thanked the SGF for his consistent support, describing it as critical to efforts to deepen transparency and good governance in the extractive sector.
Adar said NEITI remained committed to international best practices and would increasingly deploy technology to improve the accuracy and accessibility of data as well as strengthen stakeholder engagement.
‘Transparency is a continuous commitment. With the support of government and international partners, NEITI will further strengthen Nigeria’s reputation as a country committed to accountability and responsible management of natural resources’, he said.
The EITI Validation Exercise, which commenced on July 1, 2026, assesses Nigeria’s performance in implementing the initiative’s requirements and standards for transparency and accountability in the management of revenues and other activities in the extractive industries.