The Global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) validation team has arrived in Nigeria to assess the country’s progress in improving transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
The validation mission, scheduled to run from August 10 to August 14, is part of the 2026 EITI Validation Exercise, which commenced on July 1.
The exercise provides an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate the progress it has made in implementing corrective actions identified during its previous assessment and strengthening the governance of its natural resources.
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Communications and Stakeholders Management, Obiageli Onuorah, said the arrival of the global assessors marked a significant stage in the ongoing validation process.
The assessors are expected to conduct a comprehensive quality assurance assessment and consult a wide range of stakeholders involved in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
The stakeholders include government institutions, the National Assembly, oil, gas and mining companies, civil society organisations, development partners, anti-corruption agencies, host communities and the media.
The validation team will also meet senior government officials and key institutions responsible for the management and oversight of Nigeria’s extractive resources.
Among those expected to engage with the mission are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the NEITI Board, Senator George Akume; members of the NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group; the Ministers of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning; the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited; NEITI’s Inter-Ministerial Task Team; members of relevant committees of the National Assembly; and officials of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The consultations are expected to enable the assessors to hear directly from stakeholders about Nigeria’s implementation of the EITI Standard, ongoing reforms and challenges affecting the extractive sector.
Commenting on the exercise, NEITI Executive Secretary Musa Adar described the validation as an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate its commitment to responsible management of its oil, gas and mining resources.
“Nigeria remains firmly committed to the principles of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. We regard the validation process as an opportunity not only to assess the progress we have made, but also to highlight areas where further reforms can enhance extractive sector governance,” Adar said.
He said NEITI had worked with the National Stakeholders Working Group and other stakeholders to prepare for the assessment.
The EITI validation process examines the extent to which countries have improved transparency and accountability in the management of extractive resources while identifying areas that require further reforms.
Nigeria underwent its fourth EITI validation in January 2023 under the 2019 EITI Standard and obtained an overall score of 72 points. The assessment identified several corrective actions that the country was expected to address before its next validation.
The 2026 exercise will therefore provide an independent assessment of whether Nigeria has made measurable progress since the previous validation and whether reforms have been institutionalised across the extractive sector.
The assessment covers issues central to the management of Nigeria’s oil, gas and mining resources, including transparency, public oversight and accountability.
The latest validation comes as Nigeria seeks to deepen reforms in its extractive industries and attract more investment into the upstream oil and gas and mining sectors.
The country has continued to face concerns over revenue leakages, opaque ownership structures, crude oil theft, weak public oversight and limited transparency in the management of natural resources.
The EITI process seeks to address some of these challenges by promoting disclosure and encouraging collaboration among governments, extractive companies and civil society.
Nigeria joined the EITI as an implementing country in 2004 and enacted the NEITI Act in 2007, establishing a statutory framework for promoting transparency in the management of the country’s extractive industries.
Since then, NEITI has conducted industry audits, published reports and issued recommendations aimed at improving revenue collection, reducing leakages and strengthening accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
The 2026 validation is therefore expected to test whether previous recommendations have translated into concrete institutional reforms and improved governance.
NEITI said the exercise would also allow stakeholders to present their perspectives on reforms and challenges affecting the extractive sector.
“The 2026 EITI Validation is an opportunity to demonstrate the progress Nigeria has made in strengthening extractive sector governance, addressing previous corrective actions and institutionalising reforms that promote transparency and accountability,” the agency said.
The outcome of the exercise will provide an external assessment of Nigeria’s implementation of the EITI Standard and could influence the direction of further reforms in the extractive sector.
The validation mission is expected to conclude on August 14.
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