Sub-national Dissemination Of NEITI Reports Critical For Impact – Orji
By Juliet Ukanowsu
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, has emphasized the need for grassroots dissemination of NEITI’s industry reports for maximum impact.
Dr. Orji stressed this position while speaking on Wednesday during the presentation of the Disclose the Deal Campaign Project Report in Nigeria, which is being implemented by Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiative (DEDASRI) in collaboration with NEITI.
The Campaign is a global initiative spearheaded by Publish What You Pay (PWYP) International with and objective to ensure the comprehensive disclosure of contracts relating to extraction of oil, gas and solid minerals resources to promote open and accountable governance in resource rich countries.
The implementation in Nigeria focuses on contract disclosure with the aim to improve contract transparency in the country’s extractive industries.
Orji who described the event as important, said it marks another milestone in NEITI’s decision and resolve to engage with not just urban based CSOs but expand its network to rural based CSOs who are at the forefront of engaging with communities impacted by extractive activities.
Emphasizing the need to ensure communities engagement, he said, “The reports published by NEITI in Abuja will be a mere effort in futility if they are not disseminated to the rural people to make them understand the connection between the challenges they face in the rural communities where extractive activities happen and the work NEITI is doing in Abuja.”
Speaking further, he assured civil society organisations of NEITI continues collaboration especially as it relates to engaging with suburban areas and building their capacity with needed information such as the NEITI industry reports.
Also speaking at the event on behalf of PWYP International Secretariat, Vincent Egoro, noted that Nigeria’s extractive sector, despite its vast potentials, continues to grapple with the lack of transparency.
He stressed that contract disclosure is central to bridging this gap, to build public trust and ensure that resources drive sustainable development.
Egoro stated that as a network committed to accountability, PWYP recognizes the importance of campaigns such as disclose the deal, pointing out that such initiatives amplify community voices and foster a culture of openness and development.
While commending NEITI for the pivotal role it is playing in the ecosystem, he urged CSOs to collectively ensure that contract disclosure becomes a standard practice in the sector, as well as to ensure the empowerment of communities to participate in governance and monitoring of extractive projects.
“Today’s meeting is an opportunity to recommit to the pursuit of transparency in Nigeria’s extractive industry. These initiatives amplify community voices and foster a culture of openness and sustainable development,” Egoro said.
Extractive360 learnt that the Disclose the Deal Campaign is built on the premise that full contract transparency is key to fighting corruption, improving governance, and ensuring that revenues from natural resources are used for the public good.
To address observed gaps, the report recommended the development of a roadmap for implementing contract disclosures in Nigeria.
It also recommended the mapping and disclosure of all contracts, including amendments and annexes, as well as availing citizens the means of public tracking and monitoring by ensuring a publicly accessible list of contracts and regular updates on the websites of relevant agencies.
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