New NEITI Boss Assumes Office, Outline Priority Areas
By Juliet Ukanwosu
Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) officially resumed office at the NEITI House, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Adar, in his maiden address to management and staff of the agency, pledged to leverage his extensive legislative and oversight experience to strengthen NEITI’s visibility, institutional relevance, and impact.
Hon. Adar was a member of the House of Representatives for 16 years, and has served as Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, which oversee NEITI.
He emphasised that NEITI’s mandate must be better understood across the country, noting that the organization has built a reputation as a beacon of openness in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
Adar highlighted that NEITI’s reports have shaped policies, influenced reforms, and strengthened public trust, but stressed that the journey ahead demands greater effort, particularly with Nigeria’s upcoming validation as a member of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) scheduled for July 2026.
Outlining key priority areas, Adar noted that the amendment of the NEITI Act 2007 was top on the list, explaining that the current Act does not provide NEITI with the institutional authority and capacity required to function optimally.
According to him, a review of the Act is essential to empower NEITI with stronger legal tools to enforce compliance, deepen reforms, and drive transparency and accountability across the extractive sector.
Recalling his long-standing engagement with NEITI during his 16 years in the National Assembly, he affirmed his commitment to ensuring that NEITI continues to publish accurate, credible, and accessible reports, while strengthening mechanisms to prevent extractive revenues from being lost to inefficiency or corruption.
Another priority area, according to Adar, is the need to develop clear strategies that will support government to optimize Nigeria’s vast mineral endowments through beneficiation processes, thereby ensuring greater value addition and sustainable economic growth.
He further pledged to invest in staff capacity and foster stronger collaboration with government, civil society, the media, industry stakeholders, the global EITI, and development partners.
NEITI’s Director of Policy, Planning and Strategy, Dr. Dieter Bassi, who welcomed the new Executive Secretary on behalf of management and staff, expressed confidence in his leadership adding that management and staff look forward to his insights, innovative strategies, and the positive impact he will bring. “Your wealth of experience and visionary approach align perfectly with NEITI’s mission and values,” Dr. Bassi said.
Until his appointment, Adar served as Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). He played a key role in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as a member of the National Assembly, and sponsored several motions and bills focused on education, security and infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Chairman, NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), Senator George Akume, has commended the outgoing Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, for his reform-focused service to the nation and to the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) community.
In a statement by Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations, the SGF who reiterated the Federal Government commitment to safeguarding NEITI’s independence, strengthening its statutory mandate, and preserving the transparency reforms, conveyed the government’s best wishes to Dr. Orji for an accomplished service to the nation.
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